Neon Geneis Evangelion: Saviors of Humanity?!
by Judging Eagle
Summary: What if there is a real reson for having the pilots shadowed by sec-2 and the UN more than 'peacekeepers' as a result of the impact wars? The rating is for violence/events/language. So far everyone is IC (more along the lines of the manga than the series)
1. Introduction to this monstrosity

This is a repost of my first chapter (from now on I'm cutting them all into sections to ease reading but they are still parts of a chapter) 

This is a repost of my fic to date from now on I'm cutting them all into sections to ease reading but they are still parts of a `chapter'. 

To all people who hate OOC, I whole heartily agree, it is one of the most aggravating travesties of so-called serious fanfics. OOC is used best in comedy fics or if there is a _very_ plausible explanation for why the chars are acting different, normally it can't be explained why someone is OOC. 

Since at least one person said the chars were IC I assume I've succeeded thus far in the 1st chapter. 

So far I think I will be able to achieve what I want in this fic. 

Therefore, in this fic there will be NO: 

Crossovers with other series, very hard to do well and usually shows lack of creativity ("Children Of An Elder God" being an massive exception is definitely worth reading). Although chars will mention books but that can happen in real life so it's ok I guess 

OOC (so far so good). IC with char dev : ), OOC : o 

Pointless char bashing of chars that most ppl don't like, because it's well…pointless 

Super powered chars either existing chars or created chars (EXAS are soldiers and have to obey orders, comps are never perfect, constantly doped up techies can't make anything out of nothing and newbie meds can't pull of intensive surgery on their own) 

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own NGE or any of Anno's or Gainax's work (and what entertaining work it is, despite the fact that Anno tells all fanboys who've spent $$ on anime stuff to get the best education possible and stop buying anime, but we'll still buy it I think). 

Document created with wvWare/wvWare version 0.6.7 -->


	2. Chapter 1 (Replaced as of Jan 29 2002, 6...

Some notes on how I wrote the speech and thoughts for   
this travesty I am writing.  
  
" "-Speech  
^ ^ - Thoughts  
_ _ - emphasis/italics  
" ""All normal lines are out of order due to the state of special   
emergency. Please evacuate yourself to a shelter, if you require   
further assistance please contact your evacuation co-ordinator… " 


	3. Chapter 1 section 1 of 4

Some notes on how I wrote the speech and thoughts for   
this travesty I am writing.  
  
" "-Speech  
^ ^ - Thoughts  
_ _ - emphasis/italics  
" ""All normal lines are out of order due to the state of special   
emergency. Please evacuate yourself to a shelter, if you require   
further assistance please contact your evacuation co-ordinator… " 


	4. Chapter 1 section 2 of 4

Some notes on how I wrote the speech and thoughts for   
this travesty I am writing.  
  
" "-Speech  
^ ^ - Thoughts  
_ _ - emphasis/italics  
" ""Oh Katsuragi-san,. What happened? And why am I wearing   
this mask?""can I take this mask off?""yeah and why is it so cold in here?" 


	5. Chapter 1 section 3 of 4

"Hey, Shinji, wake up, we're here" Misato spoke gently trying   
get him awake without startling him.   
^can't believe he fell asleep again, but he took the midnight   
train here and he got gassed and, yeah I'd sleep to"   
  
"Huuh? W-where are we?" was the groggy response. "NERV, we have   
to take you to see your father" replied Eagle's calm, quiet voice.   
  
"Oh. Ok, I guess where is he?" said Shinji, fully awake when he   
realized he was going to meet his estranged father for more   
than a few hours for the first time in nearly a lifetime.   
  
"No, not yet. Boy, Shinji your so silly for a boy your age"   
Misato laughed.   
^Yeah and your pretty childish^ thought both Eagle and Shinji   
as they looked at each other and rolled their eyes.   
  
"Hey what's going on? Did I miss something?" asked the Captain.   
  
^No you didn't.^   
"Captain as the NERV representative; will you take the lead?"   
Eagle asked.   
^Let's hope Dr. Akagi's prediction that you couldn't find your   
way around NERV if your life depended on it isn't true ^ is   
what he decided to keep to himself as he grinned and went to   
grab Shinji's bag from the car.   
  
"Right then. Okay Shinji follow me."   
All business, Misato led the way with Shinji right behind   
her and Eagle trailing by a few metres.  
__________________   
  
"Captain Katsuragi."   
  
"What?"   
  
"I saw this exact sign here before"   
  
"Uh, I don't remember"   
  
"actually Misato I think we did see this sign before"  
  
"Maybe your right Shinji"  
  
"You don't mind if I let Blade lead us; do you?"   
  
"No, let the computer lead away" was the dejected response   
^why didn't Ritsuko show up to lead us, now this outsider   
looks better than me, and I actually _work _ here^ Misato   
was fuming but she would never let it show.  
  
*you heard her, where to?*   
  
-*you should have taken the lead from the start, it would   
have saved time, a lot of time*-  
*your point?!*  
-*…go left*-   
  
"We go left here" ..   
  
_____   
  
In a matter of minutes through Blade's _amazing_ ; or not   
so amazing considering Blade was supposed to guide Eagle   
on operations in the first place, talent of reading a map   
correctly the trio made their way to.   
  
"Evangelion Holding Cage 01. Here we are Shinji" exclaimed   
Misato as they were before their destination; a large metal door.   
  
"Oh boy Captain! An _other_ armoured door! What a surprise!"   
Eagle exclaimed gleefully, as he kept himself from laughing.   
The paranoia in this installation was rampant with its countless   
cameras, auto-locking doors and some more _persuasive_ if not   
necessarily passive defenses.  
  
"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, Shinji here's what we told you about"   
answered an unperturbed Misato ^why does he have start joking   
like that, got Shinji to smile for a bit though^  
  
As she pulled out an ID card and was about to swipe the card   
in the reader, just as the door opened to reveal a blond woman   
in a lab coat holding a clipboard and lkoking as if she had been   
waiting for hours for something.   
  
"Aaah! Ritsuko, you scared me!" exclaimed Misato, who hadn't   
expected the door to open _before_ she swiped her card.   
  
"Your late Misato." was the curt reply "did you bring the pilot?"   
  
"I ensured that pilot Ikari was safe during the attack that   
both the MAGI and you, Dr. Akagi, thought was improbable."   
Eagle growled, his eyes narrowing.   
  
"The MAGI showed that based on their history the saviors wouldn't   
make an open assault against NERV or NERV personnel" was Dr. Akagi's  
aknowledgment of the thinly veiled attack .  
  
"The saviors cannot be equated _Dr._ Akagi" Eagle replied.   
  
"They thrive on defying stereotypes placed on them. They   
knew no one at NERV expected them to capture the pilot, so   
they went out to prove NERV wrong. This kind of oversight   
could have resulted in more than a few mercs earning their   
pay and almost lost you a pilot and possibly a CTO."   
Having silenced the doctor, Eagle walked past the   
Misato and the Ritsuko into the still open doorway and   
the dark room beyond.   
  
Just before the darkness completely covered him, Eagle   
turned to the others and asked, "isn't Shinji supposed   
to meet his father?"   
  
Startled into action by Eagle's question the three entered  
the room and started walking down a barely lit catwalk.   
  
After several metres of walking Eagle came to a halt,   
moved to the side of the catwalk, clasped his left   
wrist in his right hand behind his back and looked into the darkness.   
  
Shinji just looked at him as if he had sprouted a second head.   
^what is in this room? he's using those goggles I guess^  
  
"If it wasn't for that thing on the surface, I'd say this thing   
looks like a madman's creation and not a defender of humans"   
was all he said as he continued to look into the darkness,   
not moving from his place.   
^even if these things can't stop these angels, they'll make   
it a _hell_ of a lot easier to suppress insurgents anywhere.^   
  
-*yes, yes, yes you don't have to repeat how useful these   
things are, however only people like Shinji are able to pilot*-  
  
*it's a good thing they're so expensive, they might even replace us.*  
  
-*untill it is made a lot more easily to produce your job   
is safe for a while*-  
  
Shinji wondering if this was all a joke stood beside the  
man who blended well with the dark room with his dark   
armour. Shinji looked away from the walkway and saw a   
dark shadow sticking out of a liquid that shimmered in   
the little light entering the gloom.  
  
"Uh, Eagle all I see is.." suddenly the room was flooded   
with light." ...oh, is that what you told me about?…"   
  
"This is Evangelion unit-01, Shinji I'm sure Captain Katsuragi   
filled you in on your way here" Dr. Akagi answered.  
  
Shinji looked at the thing in front of him, all that was visible   
was a pair of shpulders and a head. If the head and shoulders   
were any indication, the machine was massive.   
  
The head alone was almost twenty or even thirty feet   
high and the shoulders were set far apart and held by   
massive supporting beams that formed the side walls   
that held in a red fluid.   
  
If the rest of the body was proportionate in size,   
it would rival many multi-story buildings; as for those   
it couldn't rival in high it could probably knock flat.  
  
The whole of the head was covered in thick slabs of purple   
armour with a single straight beam projected from the from   
of the middle of the head. Two equally large white eyes   
ringed in black seemed to glimmer faintly in anticipation   
of something but everytime Shinji looked straight at   
the eyes they seemed blank.  
  
Shinji looked down to see the rest of the machine, but all   
he could see was a thick red fluid reaching to the shoulders  
of the machine.  
  
"Why is it in that stuff down there? Is it broken? "  
^I guess they don't need me to pilot then^   
Things were looking up for Shinji at the moment;   
if the thing was broken he wouldn't have to pilot.  
  
"No it is not broken Shinji. That 'stuff' is coolant fluid,   
we use it to stabilize the Evangelion's temperature"   
replied the doctor as she looked back at her clipboard   
and started writing.   
  
^DAAMN!^ Then again, things had looked up at the time   
_only_ to Shinji, now he was just as glum as before.  
_________   
  
  
An imperceptible scraping of shoes walking on metal   
turned Eagle away from one of the largest 'employees'   
of NERV, to it's highest ranking 'employee'.   
Then again anyone with a sound amplifier in their ear   
would have heard the walking as well.  
  
Eagle turned to face the man and did what any soldier   
does when approached by a superior, he saluted and   
stood at attention, he was acknowledged with a salute   
as the head of NERV looked at his son.   
  
*oh boy. a civvie's salute…better than being thrown in   
the brig for seeing the Eva…he could at least learn   
how to salute right*  
  
-*that, and you _technically_ outrank him*-  
  
*yeah, but we're in different branches so it just   
confuses everyone when I treat him like a superior, which   
he is since I'm assigned to assist him right now*  
  
"Hello; son." a flat, emotionless voice called from above  
  
*Great, he insists on using intimidation*  
  
-* "it is easier to have your people fear you than love you".   
However; you are correct, the latter will follow you to the depths of hell.*-  
  
*always boosting my ego, eh Blade?*  
  
-*no just a much proven truth. The French army loved their 'little colonel' *-  
  
*like I said before, boosting my ego.*  
  
-*you're welcome then, you ungrateful lout*-  
  
*I never said I didn't enjoy it, but...*   
  
Ending what, almost, everyone experienced as an   
awkward silence the addressed person spoke.   
"Hello. Father".   
  
"I am informed you volunteered to pilot unit 01.   
Was I informed correctly?" the voice continued;   
and the owner of said voice emerged fully from   
the shadows that engulfed a balcony overlooking the room.   
  
"I was asked before, but…" Shinji trailed off.   
  
The man on the balcony made no response   
  
"I… never really answered…." Shinji continued   
  
"Have you decided?"   
  
…  
  
^they said they need me to at least try…if I can't   
I'm fine so I'll just try^  
"…I'll do what I can"   
  
Silence ensued, ^you couldn't cut the tension with a   
vibro blade, there's just too much^ Eagle mused.   
  
^Guess not all children love their parents.^   
Misato concluded as she looked on.   
^it's kindof sad too, shinji seems like a good kid^  
  
"What decision did you arrive at?"   
  
"I. I will pilot this, thing" Shinji broke eye contact   
with his estranged father, looked back at the purple   
head and shoulders that stood above the red fluid.   
The white eyes seemed to stare at him.  
  
"Good. Dr. Akagi prepare Evangelion-01 for launch.   
Captain Katsuragi you will show Shinji to the change   
rooms. Eagle, your status is returned to its previous   
level. Dismissed" With that the black-uniformed man   
stepped back into the shadows and walked off.   
  
Dr. Akagi continued walking down the catwalk, to the   
door at the other side of the room, opened the door   
with her ID card and left the chamber.   
  
Relaxing his posture, Eagle looked at the other   
occupants of the room. "I'll see you at the command   
centre then" having spoken Eagle followed the same   
course as the doctor and left the room.   
  
Watching the door slide shut behind the man the   
Captain looked back at Shinji "Ok Shinji, follow me".   
_________________   
  
Misato led Shinji down the same path that the Doctor   
and the American had taken. When Shinji looked to see   
the other two, all he saw were long; empty, hallways.   
  
"Come _on_ Shinji. We don't want to keep everyone   
else waiting". Having said this Misato grabbed   
Shinji's arm and dragging the hapless boy.   
  
Shinji started walking, to keep his arm from being   
dislocated, and asked "where are we going?"   
  
"To the change rooms, you can't pilot an Eva with   
normal clothes Shinji"  
  
"oh, what do I wear then?"  
  
"It's better if you just see them, instead of me   
explaining what the plug suit looks like"  
  
"uh..."  
^plug suit?! how am i supposed to pilot this thing if   
i'm plugged into it?^  
  
"Wait. Here we are, 'Eva pilot change room - Male'   
okay just go to the locker marked '3rd Child' and   
put on one of the outfits inside"  
  
"uh, how do I pick which one to use"  
  
"They're all the same Shinji, just grab one and   
change into it."  
  
  
"We make more than one so they can be replaced if they   
get damaged. Now go get changed" Misato finished.  
______________   
  
After a short while Shinji had removed his civilian   
clothes and had put on the one-piece white and blue   
outfit and walked back outside to see the Captain.   
  
^this thing is so weird, how can I pilot that   
_thing_ if I can barely walk in _this_ thing^  
  
Shinji was having trouble walking in the very baggy suit   
that kept him from putting his feet firmly on the ground.   
  
"Shinji! You should have told me if you had trouble   
putting on your suit," exclaimed the captain when   
she saw Shinji stumble out of the change room with   
the overly large suit still hampering his movement.   
  
"uh, you mean the plug suit isn't supposed to look   
like this?" was his incredulous reply ^I must have   
grabbed a super-large suit, back to the room I guess.^   
So Shinji turned to get changed again.  
  
"No of course not, just press the green button on   
the left wrist". Shinji pressed the button and the   
sound of air hissing was heard as the once baggy   
suit compressed to form-fit onto Shinji's body.   
"How did that happen? "  
  
^I mean its like the suit is a second skin and it fits,   
kinda tight. This place is _so_ weird… first father   
calls me, then some people try to get me, then they   
get killed by some really weird looking American, why   
did he kill them? couldn't he get them to just surrender?   
they tried to kill him^   
Shinji shuddered when he recalled the carnage that had   
been left by the phone booth.   
  
^He said he worked for the UN army EX-something… I thought   
the UN army was just blue helmeted soldiers^  
  
"Shinji!"   
  
"huh?"   
  
"Stop daydreaming didn't you hear what I said before?"   
  
"Uh, no sorry"   
  
"Like I said before, plug suit specs can be found on   
the MAGI database, it's really complex though. Come   
on then, don't you want to meet your partner?"   
  
"Uh sure, who is he?"   
  
"She, and _her_ name is Rei Ayanami; she'll pilot unit-00."   
  
"Why doesn't she pilot, she's been here longer; hasn't   
she?" Shinji responded.   
^her name's Rei ? and she pilots unit-00? This place is so weird^   
  
"Like I said before, she's too hurt to fight the angel   
on her own. She'll be your backup since this is your   
first time and since she knows more about piloting an   
Eva" Misato responded.   
  
"Uh, ok then. Where is Ayanami?"   
  
Misato stood there and tried to think of a response,   
this failing to materialize; she pulled a cellular phone   
out of her jacket pocket and dialed a number   
  
"Hey Ritsuko, it Misato"  
"are you lost again, I don't have time to find you,   
you know""Rei? Probably at the Eva Cages you should get Shinji there as well" 


	6. Chapter 1 section 4 of 4

"Okay Rei go to weapons building 34 and grab the positron rifle   
and proceed to sector 3-5-1"   
  
"yes." An orange blur went past evacuated buildings towards a   
tower with four flashing red lights on each of the corners of   
its roof. One of the sides slid up, revealing a cache of weaponry.   
Fit for a 40-story person, but weaponry nonetheless.   
  
Rei reached in and pulled out an odd white, rifle of some sort,   
which clamped like a vice to her arm as Eva-00 grabbed the handle;   
securing it in place.   
  
Now armed, the orange machine moved at an incredible speed,   
building blurring as the massive creation ran full-tilt to reach   
its destination. Slowing down to a jog and finally stopping   
the machine waited for its target to appear.   
  
While Rei was getting into position Misato had to prep the   
newest Eva pilot. "Shinji, Rei can buy you some time to practice,   
let's just practice on walking; okay? "  
  
"uh, ok?"  
  
"you just need to think about walking and the Eva will respond,   
so just take a step"  
Shinji took his first step.   
  
-*reminds me of when you had to learn to use the exo-armour*-  
*yes Blade, thank you for the reminder*  
-*humans are so easily flustered*-  
*it's what makes us human Blade; shame*   
  
Shinji was feeling just as foolish.  
"c'mon Shinji you only fell _get_up_" Misato encouraged.  
  
"how?" ^why did I say yes, I just failed, I can't even _walk_   
in this thing^  
  
"Just think about standing, it's just like the walking you did;   
you think your actions and the Eva responds" came the cool response   
from the blonde doctor.   
  
"I, ok" taking a deep breath the boy cleared his mind and willed   
the machine to stand, and it complied ^hey this isn't so hard I   
just need to keep my mind clear^.   
  
"okay Shinji there's a weapons building in sector- uh just go to   
the tall building with the red flashing light in the top corners"   
^why didn't we get him here earlier? We'd have at least two trained   
pilots instead of just shoving Shinji into an Eva and hoping he'd   
live through it, and why isn't the commander worried? His son is   
out there!^.  
_______   
  
The purple machine retrieved an assault rifle matching the scale of   
its body and cradled it in its arms. "uh how do I shoot with this thing?"   
  
*this is one cock-up after an other*  
-*the boy should have been called as soon as possible, not at the last   
minute*-   
  
"just point and let the targeting reticule, that red triangle that goes   
green when you have a lock, center on the target and pull the trigger   
the computers will correct the shot" ^we _really_ should have called   
him in earlier, I just ho-^   
  
"Captain, target sighted", Rei broke Misato's train of thought  
"Okay, Rei wait till it gets in range and fire when it's within range"  
"Yes" Readying the positron rifle the 'mech waited.   
  
"Belay that order, Rei; you will hold position until told otherwise or   
the angel approaches you specifically"  
  
^WHAT?^, the word ran through the minds of all in the control centre.   
  
"Yes Commander" was the calm reply over the intercom.   
  
At the top of the control centre sub-commander Fuyutsuki quietly   
addressed his former pupil.   
  
"Do you really think the angels will be able to determine the origin   
of their opponents, if they do not…" speaking with some trepidation   
the sub-commander was cut off.   
  
"If the angels could not detect, they would have never come here.   
They will recognize their opponents; the question is who does this   
third angel follow?"  
  
"Which is why you brought your son, to pilo-"  
"Eva-01. We will discuss this later" the commander silenced the   
conversation   
^I will eliminate that thorn that fool in charge of EXAS sent, if not soon…^   
  
Realizing his error the sub-commander looked at the reason why   
they couldn't finish speaking.   
^Why do we even put up with an interloper?^   
  
-*the aggression in the room is skyrocketing*-  
*who from?* Eagle asked with mock-innocence  
-*commander and sub-commander; also the doctor, but her aggression   
rises and falls I think she is either looking at something or doing   
something that is triggering it. As for the commanders...*-  
*they can't stand someone who is technically a sub-ordinate but   
officially works for a separate entity and outranks them on a technicality*  
-*yes*-  
*They better get used to it, I'm not exactly pleased that that I've   
been given a near desk job either*   
  
___________   
  
Mind cleared, Rei watched the black fleshed and bone encrusted being   
march towards the city and walk right up to her.   
  
Drawing her weapon to bear, Rei hailed command "Orders?"  
"Hold fire unless it gets within 500 metres then fire or fall back"   
the calm voice of the commander cut in.  
"Affirmative."   
  
The angel stood and stared at the orange Eva and shifted slightly to   
afford its 'face'(really a circular disk of bone with two holes where   
eyes would be) a view of the cackling blue light sparking from the   
end of the positron rifle.   
  
"1st child's pulse up 2%" chimed in Maya Ibuki.   
  
That was all that the first child did, and the angel just _walked_   
past her; to the astonishment of the command center's crew.   
  
"That settles its creator" the sub-commander whispered. Gendo Ikari   
kept his peace and watched.  
_______   
  
  
  
Shinji on the other hand was far from both Rei and the angel,   
but he had learned how to control his Eva.   
  
Too bad everything that could go wrong was just about to go wrong.   
  
"Target breaking course for Eva-00 and bearing straight for   
Eva-01" an other technician called out.   
  
"Eva-00 falling back to sector 5-4-3" Rei spoke to HQ  
  
"Okay Rei, get ready to back Shinji up" Misato acknowledged   
the pilot's message.   
  
Without prompting Blade answered  
-*Makoto Hyuoga, combat ops*-  
*thanks*   
  
"Shinji did you hear that? You'll get to fight" Misato called   
over the intercom ^damn! I shouldn't have said it like _that_^   
  
"uh, so I just aim and fire right?" ^why did I say I would try   
this?^ Shinji was about to have a panic attack  
  
"Yep, you're a natural Shinji."  
^I hope^  
Misato thought in as small a voice as she dared think, the   
harder you think about victory or defeat the more likely it will happen.   
  
"Turn right you should see it shortly"   
  
Complying, Shinji saw the angel walk from behind a building   
and turn to face him. Paralyzed with fear, Shinji stood his   
ground and watched at the angel made it way to him; arms extended   
and claws outstretched.   
  
To an outsider it looked as if the angel wanted to hug the Eva   
or, more likely, rend it limb from limb with the claws that   
were now emanating purple light  
  
^He's just sitting there!^   
"Shinji FIRE!"   
  
Snapped into acting Shinji pulled the rifle up and sprayed the   
entire magazine ahead of him. Unfortunatley, he had closed his   
eyes from fright so, most of the rounds went wild and hit the   
buildings nearby. Even if more rounds had met their mark it would   
have made no difference.   
  
"Angel's AT field activated, the 120 mm isn't affecting it" Makoto   
called out as glimmering orange hexagons shimmering into and out   
existence; stopping the rounds dead in the air.   
  
"Shinji! Your going to have to deploy your AT field!"   
^this is the worst day I've ever had since joining NERV^  
  
The angel slammed its body straight into Eva-01.  
  
"Aaaaaaaaah!" roared over the audio displays of everyone who had   
an audio link to Shinji's Eva.   
  
The angel seemed to be the only being who didn't hear Shinji's pained   
cry. After ripping the offending gun out of Eva-01's hands knocking   
it into the façade of an office building.   
Glass was shattered, cubicles were crunched like paper and employees   
of several software production companies would most likely have the   
next few days off from work, much to the dismay of each companies investors.   
  
Unarming its foe, the angel leapt at the neck of Eva-01. The increase   
of weight to the top of the Eva drastically affected the most important   
and moist difficult to maintain feature inherent in all things moving on   
two legs; balance.   
  
Limbs flailing and hands clawing at the buildings lining the street,   
Eva-01 fell on its back as the angel began to wring its neck with one   
hand and cave-in the purple face in with its claws.   
  
"-aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh-" the screaming was cut when the audio   
feed was muted, but anyone seeing the visual could tell the boy was in   
extreme pain.   
  
"Relax Shinji! You're just feeling the pain the Eva is feeling your not   
really being choked" Misato called over the a/v feed.   
  
*Rei was sent really out of the way a-*  
-*found something on the MAGI systems*-  
*store it, and remind me if I forget to see it*   
  
"control nerves N 2-34, RA 4-10 and 18-31 snapped; right arm control   
lost and left arm failing, he's losing control of the Eva" Maya called   
as Shinji slipped into unconsciousness.   
  
Like a bolt of lightning, a white-blue beam of pure energy hit the   
black fleshed beast in the shoulder; knocking the angel to the ground   
and giving Shinji precious seconds to regain his composure.   
  
^aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh- huh? Wha-, what happened?^   
  
"Shinji! Get up Rei can't fight the angel on her own" cut in the voice   
of Captain Katsuragi.  
  
"right"   
^why does she always scream? Its bad enough that I don't   
know how to run this thing but everyone keeps on yelling at me   
and father, he…^   
  
"Eva-01's synchronization up to 44.2%! lost connections   
re-established" Maya called out with relief.   
  
"Keep it up Shinji! Your getting better at piloting your Eva"   
^why is he getting better now? I'll have to ask Ritsuko about that^   
  
*getting a bloody nose got him more inclined to fight, eh Blade?*  
  
-*only an assumption, we'd have to debrief the pilot to find out for certain*-   
  
Body smoking from the blast, the angel staggered to its feet; only to be   
faced with two Evas.   
  
Intent upon its previous target, the angel leapt at Eva-01 and tried   
ripping its arm off and holding the Eva's head in the other.   
  
The angel shifted its weight, positioning the, again incapacitated Eva,   
between itself and the orange Eva-00.  
  
"Shinji, its just like before; you're only feeling what the Eva feels.   
Just focus on getting free" Misato told Shinji, who was screaming   
in sypathetic pain to his vehicles damage.   
  
"-aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-" was the boy's response before being   
automatically muted again.   
  
"Left wrist experiencing thirteen hundred Kilopascals, estimated permanent   
damage in two seconds, optic armour compromised at six hundred Kps,   
optic damage in three seconds" called Maya in an increasingly frantic voice.   
  
^More than four times? ^ "Report!" Misato called out  
"The angel's arm spike is changing waveform pattern from blue to indigo,   
insufficient data to find cause or effect" a longhaired technician called out.   
  
*Shigeru Aoba? Comm.*  
-*correct, communications and data analysis*-   
  
The aforementioned arm 'spike' that originally extended backwards from   
the elbow was glowing purple and sliding though the forearm to   
hammer into the face of Eva-01.   
  
The Evangelions left arm strained one more time against its attacker,   
and went limp as the wrist was crushed.   
  
"Control nerves snapping, he's losing control again,  
Optic damage in .5 secon-" Maya was cut off by Shinji's screams; which   
were muted again   
  
Eva-01 slumped to the ground like a string-cut marionette. "Pilot   
unconscious, life signs detected" Maya called out.  
  
"Okay, ready a retrieval crew" Misato told Lt. Hyuoga.   
"Yes Ma'am" was the reply.  
  
"The first child will not be retrieved until the battle is over"   
Commander Ikari's voice was heard by all and they complied.   
  
"Put the retrieval crew on standby Makoto"   
^Why won't he get his son rescued? Shinji can't fight in his   
Eva now that's all ripped up^.  
"Yes ma'am" was the glasses wearing tech's response.  
  
*Maybe not a general, but he won't send suicide missions   
at least* Eagle reflected on the commander's reluctance to   
send a crew of paramedics and armour cutters on a suicide mission   
to rescue his son.  
-*Perhaps, but he is a civilian and thu-*-  
*And thus is unpredictable*  
________  
  
With only one foe left the angel ran to eliminate its previous   
attacker. Eva-00.   
"Rei! Fall Back! Your Eva's still damaged from the test" came the   
order from the purple-haired captain.   
^ I can't afford to have two pilots get knocked out in one day while   
I'm in 'command', wonder if the Commander will say something else^.  
  
Gendo Ikari knew Rei; well actually Eva-00 to more specific,   
would never fight the current angel and succeed. However so   
did the sub-commander. "Who will finish this Ikari? Eva-00   
wouldn't be able to do kill the angel."  
  
"Rei will have Eva-00 use ranged attacks until Shinji recovers"  
  
Rei, not hearing any conflicting orders, started backing away   
slowly at first then turning a corner she made the Eva sprint.  
  
"Target accelerating faster than Eva-00! Estimated contact time   
10 seconds and counting!" Makoto reported.   
  
"Rei, we're sending a new power cell for the positron rifle, you   
have permission to fire at will after that; and don't let it get   
in close combat" Misato said to her only remaining active soldier.  
  
"Affirmative." Rei stopped at an intersection made a quarter revolution,   
aimed at the angel that hadn't abated in its quest to destroy her   
Eva and emptied the remains of the power cell into her foe.  
  
Knocked back by the same blue light that now hit it full force in   
the chest, the angel demonstrated that physically strong creations   
are not necessarily intelligent.   
  
The angel hit the floor like a drunk after happy hour, smoke rising   
in a massive column from the newly burnt flesh and charred bone.  
  
WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!  
POSITRON RIFLE OVERHEATING! POSSIBILITY OF MELTDOWN IMMINENT!   
TEMP AT 430 K, 429 K, 428 K…  
  
Rei ignored the warning, by the time she would fire again the gun   
would be down to a cool 273 K and by then she would also have a   
full power cell.  
  
Not wasting a picosecond, Rei turned away from the intersection   
and ran to the weapons cache for more ammo.  
  
Without a beat missed, Rei aimed skyward, pressed the dis-engage   
button and let the steaming power unit slide from its socket,   
hit the pavement and roll on its side till it came to a stop.   
  
By the time the oversized battery had stopped moving Rei was   
long gone and the now smoking angel was lumbering by. Albeit,   
an inchworm's gait, compared to the headlong charge it was   
committed to only a minute ago.  
  
"Weapon building 5-4-4 not responding!" Makoto exclaimed as he   
frantically worked at the console, trying to correct the problem.   
  
"What !? Where's the next closest one?" All at once Misato lost   
and re-gained her cool. ^this is a terrible day^ She grumbled as   
the tech found what she wanted "5-5-6 is nearest one."  
  
"Send the route to Eva-00 and make sure there'll be a power cell   
for Rei"   
^last thing we need, a working depot but no weapons^.  
  
"Done, Done, Rei just needs to get there and it will be ready"   
was Makoto's response.  
"Good work Makoto, we'll have to find out what happened to the   
depot that didn't work; later though"  
  
"yes Captain."   
Unseen by nearly everyone Lt. Makoto was blushing from the  
complement. Maya and Shigeru knew about Makoto's crush on the   
captain and were looking for more to bug him about later; and   
smiled, in Maya's case or grinned and suppressed a chuckle;   
as Shigeru was doing .   
  
When teased by his fellow console techs Makoto just blushed and   
would clam up or. On rare occasions when he was feeling particularly   
bold, nod meekly and say that he 'really admired the captain'; they   
knew better than to press the issue further since he would simply deny it.  
_______  
  
The angel; still covered in charred and useless flesh from the beam   
of blue-white energy it had encountered before. The red crystalline  
sphere in its chest flashed brightly and its flesh remade itself.  
  
  
no longer covered in charred flesh, the angel prepared to overtake   
the being that had been incessantly frustrating its actions;   
Evangelion unit-00.   
_______  
  
"Rei the target is headed straight at you! And it's much faster   
than before!" Misato told the pilot; the last part was said with   
more than a bit of dread   
^if it can more than double its speed just for the hell of it…   
What else can it do?^  
  
"Received. Positron rifle reloaded; moving to intercept target. Eva-00 out"  
  
Eagle was impressed.  
*who trained this kid? I'd like to meet them, exchange notes you know*  
-*unknown, possibly commander Ikari oversaw her training; Rei has   
his ward since 2005 her documents say, and has been a NERV employee   
since its inception*-  
*Ikari eh? Maybe he isn't such a bad leader after all or maybe…*  
-*Yes?*-   
Blade hated it when Eagle just pulled an idea out of the air, it   
was uncanny the number of times when Eagle was actually correct;   
Blade usually went along, unless Blade could poke a hole in Eagle's theory.  
  
*what is Rei's combat training record like?*  
  
-*reviewing………. Ken-jitsu _second_ dan….. Ranked 267th on UN-MR in 2009,  
249 in '10, 233 in '11 and has improved to 229 at last count in 2014…..  
and a 75% average over 140 rounds on UNSCP*-  
  
*75 on SCP?*  
-*yes*-  
*too bad she's still a kid*  
  
Make a child a soldier and a killer and they are useless for   
anything else. The international comunity had learned this lessons   
decades ago when warlords aroud the world bolstered their armies size   
with youths who had yet to reach pubrety. When internationalist   
forces did step in the youths had grown up and knew no other life   
other than to kill.  
  
Eagle was disturbed at the implications of Rei's prowess as a   
fighter, the chances of her being well balanced were slim.   
  
Blade, well Blade was concerned that a person with no youth wouldn't   
be balanced to deal with life _out_ of combat.   
  
However such a person is ingrained with a deep-rooted habit of following orders….  
  
^So Ikari fucked some odd looking girl by making her his elite   
to keep his son away from combat. But when he's forced to use   
Shinji, the kid's a natural? Nah, no way Ikari could have guessed   
his son would pilot. He _knew_ his son would be able to pilot.  
The question is _how_ did he know?….^.  
_______  
  
Once again, between the angel and Eva-01, Eva-00 waited for its target.  
  
"…Is the target still approaching?" Rei asked.   
  
"Yes Rei, the angel is headed for you, can't you see it?"  
Silence ensued.   
"No, it's not di-*bzzz*-ing *bzz*-get!"  
  
"Target engaging Eva-00!" Makoto reported.  
  
"Rei fall back to escape route 192!" Ordered Captain Katsuragi.  
  
"bzz*-ill com-*bzz"  
  
"Synchronization dropping to 30% from 46" Maya called from her display  
  
"How far is she to the escape route?"  
  
"560 meters"  
  
"Rei pull back!"  
  
"*Bzzzzz*-an-*bzzz*"  
  
"Report! Makoto!"  
  
"The angel has damaged part of Eva-00's comm array and is   
jamming the frequencies that are being sent; we're just getting static"  
  
*wolfpack not working!? Shit, this field is good at blocking   
transmission*  
-*NERV doesn't use wolfpack, just standard mil-spec version   
so we can expect breaks in comm frequently*-  
*shit! wp should cover all UN troops*  
  
"Maya!"  
  
"Eva-00 armour sections CL 1 to 3 and CR 1 pierced, A10   
connections 3 to 22 broken and the rest aren't far behind   
and the internal batteries are hemorrhaging, any more and   
they could go… we've lost contact, its not on the display "  
  
"Where was Eva-00? last" Misato asked, worried about losing   
a pilot on the first combat under her command.  
  
"Sector 6-1-3, the target is moving away from Eva-00's last   
confirmed location and heading to sector 5-5-3"  
  
^just above headquarters….^   
  
"ma'am?" Maya partially asked, partially commented.  
  
"yes lieutenant?"   
  
"Shinji's awake; Eva-01 is active"  
  
Turning the a/v link to Eva-01 on again the captain briefed   
Shinji on what had transpired since he was knocked out.  
  
"So where's Rei then?"  
  
"Probably where she was last sending transmissions, the angel   
damaged the Comm array…   
^and cut the umbilical cable too^   
...and we don't think she will be able to back you up."  
  
^howamIsupposedtobeatthisthingwhenitjust   
throwsmeandtheonlypersonwhowasableto   
fightisknockedout?^  
  
Mind riding on an unnecessary adrenaline high Shinji could   
barley articulate himself in his head, let alone speak.  
  
". Uh…"  
  
"C'mon Shinji! The angel is going to level the city looking   
for a way down here and only you can stop it"   
Pleased with her 'motivational', some would rather call it   
pressuring, speech Misato waited for Shinji to get going and   
stomp some angel.  
  
"Uh" Shinji, still in shock from hearing he would be alone and   
now even more so since he was their _only_ hope.   
^Some hope, I've never been in a fight before^  
  
Just then the haphazard attempts of unit-01 righting itself   
drew the attentions of the only other 40 story tall being in Tokyo-3.  
  
"The angel's headed for you Shinji, so get ready" Came the   
voice of captain Katsuragi over the holo-display in Eva-01.   
  
^How do they get the image to just float in the air?^   
Shinji thought about the a/v display showing the captain's face.   
^its not like projected light can just float… why didn't I realize   
it was just flaoting there before^  
  
"-inji!."  
"Huh?"  
"Did you hear a thing I said"  
"Yeah, yeah the angel's coming to get me and I have to stop it   
so where can I get a new gun?"  
  
"That's what I just told you, you're going to stop daydreaming   
Shinji, this is a war not a vacation! There _are_ no palette   
rifles nearby, your going to have to use your progressive knife"  
  
"Oh"   
The fact that Shinji was about to fight a monster with little   
more than a knife seemed suicidal to him   
^if a gun didn't kill it how is a _knife_ going to do the job?!^.  
  
Not waiting, for Shinji to finish debating the pros and cons   
of using a knife in a fight, the angel got the drop on the purple machine.  
  
Coming from behind the angle put its claws together, and like an   
impromptu club, knocked Eva-01 to the ground. The purple mech furrowed   
the now scarred asphalt and scattering abandoned automobiles like chaff.  
  
With its foe facedown on the 'mat' the black monster gripped the   
left arm by the wrist, placed its feet on the thick armour plates that   
covered the back of Eva-01, and pulled.  
  
With the computers intuitively muting anything over 120 decibels, the   
command center just saw Shinji screaming over the console.  
  
*he's getting better at dealing with the pain*  
-*last time you did that to someone their arm was severed, the   
child _is_ getting used to the pain*-  
^the question is 'how much can he take?'^  
  
Body arcing to apply as much force as possible the angel was   
stretching the tortured arm up, up and away from its comfortable   
position beside the shoulder.  
  
"2 more seconds till arm is completely sheared from torso" Lt.   
Ibuki stated   
^why did the commander send his son without training?^   
She asked herself   
^doesn't he care about him?^.   
  
Then again, almost any sane person would ask how any father could   
send his son to die without even showing them how to use their weapon properly  
  
With a gut-curdling crunch the arm shifted upwards and the angel   
let the now crippled limb flop to the ground like a dead fish.   
  
Fortunately the flesh of an Eva is stronger than that of a man,   
the shoulder was merely dislocated and partially broken, however   
a broken arm is still a broken arm, the arm would need much time to heal properly.  
  
Now unable to struggle, Eva-01 let the ungainly thing that had bested   
it flip it on its back to finish the kill.  
  
With the large purple head prone on the ground (along with the rest   
of Eva-01's body) the angel had no problem finding one of the eyes   
and proceeding to poke it out with the massive spike that went from beyond the   
elbow to palm of its 'hand'.  
  
*one…two…three…four…five ^that's tough armour^…seven*  
-*I am recording this as well, so stop counting*-  
*fine, fine*  
  
Finally the eye plate cracked and gave way and the spike had little   
difficulty piercing the orb the armour protected and exiting out the other side.  
  
When the spike retracted back, a geyser of blood spat out broken   
flesh, bone and pulped up eyeball, covering the helmet like some barbaric   
facepaint.   
  
Shinji, as well as Eva-01, was finally silenced by its opponent. After   
watching what had just happened, the command crew were just as reserved;   
however this was not because they had been knocked senseless, their only   
hope had just been knocked to the pavement like a sack of bricks and   
they were next.  
  
*this is very, very bad. Well then, time to jet*  
-*your not the only calm one, look at the commander*-  
*he's Japanese, remember; the whole die or win belief is ingrained   
into him and since he doesn't look like he'll be winning….*  
-*let's get you out then*-  
  
"Mobilize ground defense forces; Eagle, will you be assisting them?"   
Came the sangfroid voice of NERVs commander.  
  
^PIECE, OF, SHIT! that's how he wanted to prove EXAS wasn't needed,   
he's gonna kill me; fucking civilian _politicking_ bastard^.  
  
"I _am_ a UN officer, yes." Eagle's response didn't betray his   
thoughts; which was fortunate for Eagle.   
  
-*let's hope the chaos lets you slip away, your job was _not_ to do   
gro-po work for NERV*-  
*Yes, let's*  
  
"Commander! Conventional weapons can't compare to an angel's AT field,   
the self defense force has already proved that" Misato was frantic,   
the commander was willing to send NERV forces into combat, against   
an _angel_; that was what Evas were for.  
  
"Regardless of the fact, any and all efforts must be made to stop the   
angels" was the reply, everyone stared at the person who had spoken.   
^so he's just going to go out and die? He's a bigger idiot than I thought^   
Misato's thoughts responding to Eagle's statement.  
  
To be continued…..  
  
Well not really what I want from anyone who reads this all is to tell me, do I keep writing this fic or do I stop and just kill the partial SI character of Eagle?   
  
Well maybe not exactly kill him since I want to use him as a voice of reason but have him take 'sick' leave. If people really want me to kill Eagle (10+ e-mails should do it) and end the fic I'll just write a side story where he dies, but I'm gonna finish this fic the way I originally planned because its cathartic for me (When more is written you'll prolly get why).  
  
  
____________  
  
Notes:  
1. [specifically surface tension of liquids and liquid friction, unless you have a constant stream flowing liquid sticks to a surface due to microscopic irregularities in the surface the liquid is on]  
2. [Taken from the "Big guy and Rusty" Tv show/Comic American mecha series]  
  
Please Review or mail me at judging_eagle@yahoo.com 


	7. Chapter 2 For Anti-Eagle ppl her is the ...

Chapter 2 

Chapter 2 

(Eagle dies, ending for non-Eagle fans) 

:whrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr: 

The sound of straining of the elevator's motor was aggravating the nerves of its occupants. 

"Okay here's the plan. Kei, Ranka; right flank. Ein, Tai; flank left. You NERV ops guys, your our cover-fire; so just sit and fire and keep it pinned. As for you, EXAS, what are you doing; _sir_?" changing from a calm commanding officers voice to a barely suppressed sneer the second-ranking officer addressed the only occupant who didn't fit into this collection of patched together para-militaries. 

"my task is to support you" ^now you squirm motherf*cker, lets _see_ you order a ranking officer^. 

"I will be providing cover fire and will assist your flanking in distracting the target" the unobtrusive voice replied finished. 

:Creeeeeearkkkkkkkk: 

^that didn't sound go-^ 

:Craaaaaaash: 

_________ 

"Freight elevator 3-14 has been knocked down; defense team 3-A was on that elevator." A stifled gasp echoed throughout the massive command centre. 

^I assume General Sani will stop interfering with NERV, for the sake of the UN's defense against the saviors^ 

"Very well, we will inform next of kin later" was the inhumanly calm response. 

"Eva-01 reactivated!" 

[yeah, yeah, yeah; you all know how the series continues. Eva-01 reactivates and kills the 1st [attacking] angel but it[the angle not Eva-01] self-destructs and a Shinji wakes up and loses it and faints] 

Document created with wvWare/wvWare version 0.6.7 -->


	8. Chapter 2 (needs editing but i want feed...

Chapter 2 

Chapter 2 

"Fires within Fires and wheels within wheels" 

: whrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr : 

The sound of straining of the elevator's motor was aggravating the nerves of its occupants. 

"Okay here's the plan. Kei, Ranka; right flank. Ein, Tai; flank left. The rest of you, you're our cover-fire; so just sit and fire and keep it pinned… 

^how the hell we're supposed to pin that thing is beyond me, let alone take it down. 

Why can't those giant robots kill angels like their supposed too?^. 

… As for you, EXAS, what are you doing? _sir_?" 

Changing from a calm commanding officers voice to a barely suppressed sneer, the second-ranking officer addressed the only occupant who didn't quite fit into this collection of patched together para-militaries. 

"my task is to support you" 

^now you squirm motherfucker, lets _see_ you order a ranking officer^. 

"I will be providing cover fire and will assist your flanking in distracting the target" the unobtrusive voice replied finished. 

:Creeeeeearkkkkkkkk: 

One thought and one thought alone went through everyone's mind, whether they spoke Japanese or English. 

^…shit….^ 

:Craaaaaaash: 

:SCREEEEEEEEEEECH: 

Sparks were flying everywhere as the freight elevator's emergency brakes pushed outward onto the guide rails. 

Shuddering violently from the forces both trying to accelerate and decelerate its motion, the elevator refused to stop as the brakes kept pushing outward. 

With a final shock the hurtling downward box finally stopped and the brakes held it stopped. 

"uh, sarge? How we gonna get outta `ere?" asked someone in the darkness that now engulfed the unpowered metal box. 

What had once been a rapid mode of transportation was now a potential death trap. 

*blade?* 

…. 

*Blade?* 

…. 

^fuck^ 

*BLADE?* 

Eagle gave up trying to raise his partner from inside a metal box deep beneath the earth and proceeded to leave. 

"Hey! EXAS! You gonna just sit there?" 

^hehe, tooled-up freak, can't find his way outta wet paper bag I bet^ 

"No." 

Ignoring any further comments from the occupants, Eagle clambered up the side of the elevator wall and opened the emergency exit. 

*** 

(Pat): how? Last time I tried climbing up the side of an elevator I realized that humans couldn't climb sheer surfaces 

(J_E): the rails around the elevator can help and there are prolly handholds since it is a freight elevator 

(Pat): always covering your ass eh? 

(J_E): … 

*** 

"Hey! Where do YOU think your going?." 

Beams from the combined flashlights of the NERV `security' forces pointing at the now opened hatch and the person who was more than half out. 

*** 

(Gord): `person' is such a relative term, I mean Charles Manson was technically a `human' but he wasn't `human' in the way he acted, eh JE? 

(J_E): [in the corner grinning maniacally]…. 

(Pat): this is a ROUND room! How can you sit in a F*CKING CORNER if it doesn't exist? 

(Gord): (cult leader voice)….just accept….. 

(J_E): [looking sane] yeah just accept 8^ ) 

(Pat): fine then, piss in the corner 

(Gord): we're not idiots, so we can't be occupied forever 

(J_E): yeah we're just deliriously `happy' [insane again and sitting in the corner] 

(Gord): nooo… just you 

(Pat): yeah you'd have to be mad to write anything in the first place. Why don't you get back to reading? 

(J_E): ….[sane (for now)]….it ruins my eyes? 8^| 

(Pat)/(Gord): …. 

*** 

"I don't know about you guys, but till a tech crew come here to pull you out it'll be a while. 

I recommend getting out of this place and waiting for more orders." 

Eagle was out in a flash and started forcing the doors open. 

^good thing I put in new power cells^ 

Eagle reflected on the drain opening the massive armoured elevator doors had on his once full energy reserve. 

*Blade* 

… 

^damn. Why the hell can't I get in contact?^ 

-*…. testing 2,3, testing…..tes-*- 

*Blade!* 

A wave of relief calmed any fear of losing communications with home. 

-*Eagle. What happened? I lost contact while you were in the elevator. The boy is getting destroyed by his opponent*- 

*Shit! that bad eh? Dunno happened, prolly the fighting hit something, power cut out and the auto-brakes turned on, I'm getting the NERV guys out right now. 

Did you know they use triple layered armour on even the smallest freight elevators.* 

-*that's impossible! Or, rather it's on none of the manifests, but not having a copy of the true defenses of NERV available to outsiders is a wise move*- 

^but where did the money for the unlisted armour come from? And what else do they have as anti-personnel defense^ 

*** 

(J_E): SEELIE, the benevolent post 3rd-impact not-so-secret organization that pours funds into NERV. 

Not to be confused with SEELE, the super secret-that-not-even-Misato-will-ever-tell-Eagle organization that wants 3rd impact to occur 

(Gord): bad fics w/ AAs, suck in general and this is no exception 

(Pat): yeah let's go [gets up and walks out] 

(J_E): nice try but, no cigar 

(Pat):[back in his chair] WTF? How did I get back in the chair? 

(J_E): Easy, I just write it in and `presto' you're back in your seat 

(Pat): did you know about this Gord? 

(Gord): [shrugs] I can sit and make fun of Eagle and not get hungry or thirst-z-z-z-z- 

(Pat): [holding a laptop that appeared in a puff of smoke and typing madly] oh yeeah 

(Gord): I mean…ah, uh…'this fic and this whole idea of Mst sucks and Eagle and Blade suck' 

(J_E): ^m-m-ust c-con-cen-trate o-on g-gettingg l-lap-to-p b-b-ack^ 

(Pat): fine then, here you go. Just don't pencil in any more OOC for the Mst'ers 

(J_E):[sullenly holding the laptop before it vanishes into thin air]…… ^no more interloping 8^ …^ 

(Pat): well? 

(J_E):…fine ^bastard/yaro^ 

(Gord): well Eagle and Blade still kinda suck 

(J_E): you're supposed to be Blade, the whole 'detached advisor' is what you're like in real life 

(Gord): great, just great I'm a fucking story char and _and_ an Mst char 

(J_E): I did ask if I could write you in though… 

*** 

*let's get outta here* 

-*security is on you*- 

*** 

(Pat): yup, you bet! [pulls on a t-shirt with the word `security' on the front and tackles JE] 

(J_E): [struggling to no avail] get OFF! 

(Pat): not till this gag gets old, I _never_ make the same mistakes you make when it comes to telling jokes : ) 

(Gord): [watching the other two struggle] you want a hand? 

(Pat/JE): Sure 

(Gord): [claps] 

(Pat): [gets up and sits down in his seat] finally, I feel like myself 

(J_E): [glares at Pat and sits back in his seat]…how nice for you ^you're re Todd id, sofa king re Todd id^ 

*** 

Sure enough the cameras had switched from panning back and forth to pointing at Eagle. 

*two can play at this game, let's just go to command instead.* 

-*very well*- 

_________ 

"Freight elevator 3-14 has been damaged; defense team 3-A was on that elevator. Contact has been lost with team leader Lee" 

A stifled gasp echoed throughout the massive command centre after Lt. Aoba reported on the havoc being wreaked, due to the fighting several hundred metres above. 

At his desk Gendo Ikari looked through the security cameras to ensure that defense team 3-A wasn't `missing' any personnel or specifically one person who wouldn't want to stay with team. 

Sure as the sun coming up, Eagle had left security team 3-A. 

Following the infiltrator's path the commander saw him walk further and further from any likely targets and closer to the command centre. 

^just because you don't threaten NERV, now, doesn't mean you won't be watched.^ 

Amid the escalating disaster that was the first angel vs. Eva battle Maya Ibuki had _some_ good news. 

"Eva-01 reactivated!" 

^but the readings are all wrong…^ 

Not about to let an opportunity for research to be conducted pass her by, she started the recording of a 2nd copy of the data; no sense losing it due to a power surge later. 

"Recall all GDF to their previous positions" was the inhumanly calm response. 

*** 

(J_E): booo 

(Pat): [tapping JE on the shoulder] this _is_ your work of fiction…right? 

(J_E): fic, fic, fic and since I'm a fan it's a fanfic, and yes it's mine 

(Pat):then why boo it? 

(J_E): I couldn't think of a better name for NERV's paramilitary than Ground Defense Force and I pulled of the stuff for the Exo-suit together but I canna make a good name for some damn paramilitaries, that's why I'm booing it. That and I would boo anyone else who made a similar miss steak 

(Pat): ^???^ I guess westwood won't knock you, you have no $$ and your always talking about how they made the 1st RTS games, so don't sweat it. 

(Gord): GDI right? 

(J_E): yeah, Global Defense Initiative….commandos kick ass 

(Pat): I thought they sniped and used c4 

(J_E): …whatever, they still are amazing 

*** 

Looking at her sub-ordinate's console, Dr. Akagi realized why Maya was just staring at the screen. 

^Shinji is still unconscious? But then who is….. oh no, Eva-01 is acting on its own.^ 

The fact that she had no control over what was happening outside was grating on Ritsuko's already raw nerves. 

Now the one thing she had been working on most of her life had decided to work of its own will and it had no restrictions on what it was able to destroy. 

^this must be what Victor Frankenstein felt when he created his monster.^ 

Pulling out one of her friends through thick and thin, she slid open the lid, pulled a paper wrapped column of pure calm, put it between her lips and lit up. 

^…._much_ better….^ 

The jagged edges of life smoothing out once again, Dr. Akagi focused on what was going on around her again. 

^let's see how she fights on her own^ 

She reflected as she looked at the display of Eva-01climbing up from the ground. 

__________________ 

Soulfly - "Bleed" - [ ] 

Eva-01 rolled back on its chest, placed its undamaged arm under its torso and pushed up, the dead weight from the limp arm wasn't helping at all either. 

Soon enough the left then the right legs assisted and soon the purple machine was up again. 

Albeit with an eye-sized hole through its head, still trickling dark inhuman blood, and completely useless left arm. 

The angel ignored this turn of events. 

Clutching its ruined shoulder, Eva-01 took tentative steps towards its opponent 

The angel was still intently clawing at the ground and making its way towards what ever had drawn it here in the first place. 

Satisfied with its ability to walk, Eva-01 started running full tilt at the angel that was pulling up layers of armour; like some grotesque child in a massive concrete sandbox. 

It was pulling up layers of asphalt reinforced concrete, pipe conduits and fortunately; for a haphazard first evacuation, no specks of gristle and bone. 

By the time the mech was within 200m the angel merely stood up straight and took a step toward the onrushing Evangelion. 

The charging purple machine smashed face first into a massive field of concentric hexagons radiating away from the point of impact. 

The force of the impact cracked armour and forced more blood out of the Evangelions eye socket. 

*** 

(Pat): immovable object, unstoppable force; something has to give. : ) 

(J_E): Todo el mundo, Proffesor Siruela (or Prof. Plum). 

*** 

Hammering its fist upon the field, that flared in the same hexagonal pattern around each point of impact, Eva-01 was unsuccessful in reaching the angel. 

Realizing the futility, it drew back and stood fully upright. 

Looking at its left shoulder it shifted back to where it _should_ go; that is when an arm isn't visibly detached from its shoulder. 

The arm wouldn't go back of its own accord at first, but with a little pressure it crunched its way back into place. 

Swiveling the repositioned arm and assured that it was going to stay, it leapt at the invisible wall that had thus far stopped it from ripping the angel limb from limb; fingers first this time. 

The increased pressure and decreased surface area allowed the hands to force a gap open in the field that was flashing violently in the same hexagonal field. 

Once Eva-01 had forced a big enough opening it walked through the field to `greet' its occupant. 

The angel took a step backward; really not wanting to see what its `visitor' had brought in the way of `gifts'. 

It was an error for the angel to backpedal, it tripped on a chunk of rubble it had ripped from the ground. 

*** 

(J_E): poetic justice, Ne? 

(Gord): so the Evas win now, how funny too. Just because the angel trips they win, not because of tactics or combat prowess. 

(Pat): Shows how unpredictable war is I guess. 

*** 

Eva-01 was on it like a vulture on a corpse. 

*** 

(Pat): or `like a queer on a dildo' 

(J_E): please disregard my homosexual bashing brother, I am trying to write him in char. What's my opinion? Live and let live I guess but, I'll never read a yaoi (not sure about the spelling) if I can help it. Read `heretics of Dune' (last of Frank Herbet's `Dune' saga, plus his son is writing more books about, which aren't bad I find). 

*** 

Fingers flexed like claws the purple mech rammed them into the `eye' sockets and pulled upwards 

*** 

(Pat): hehe, "purple mech"; what a faggoty colour, I mean no `mech pilot would be caught dead with a purple paint job on their mech. It fights like a girl too, clawing at a person's eyes 

(J_E): ...it _is_ a girl, and I don't see _you_ fighting giant monsters on your own 

(Gord): …uh yeah, and she could kick your ass across Tokyo-3 any day 

(Pat): ….. 

*** 

Eva-01 went from crouching on the angel's `chest' with its hands punched into the `eye', for lack of a better word, sockets; to standing straight up. 

Something had to give, since the grip on the bony faceplate had not slackened. 

The `face' was being ripped off inch by, flesh exposing, inch. 

The only thing that stopped the, now blood covered, mask from being wrenched completely off were the twin glowing purple spikes that sprang from the palm of angel's hands and rammed into the chest armour of Eva-01. 

Sending Eva-01, like a howitzer shell into the air, away from the angel. 

With the grace that one would believe impossible for such an enormous being, Eva-01 tucked its limbs while in mid-air, righted itself, extended its legs and made a perfect (except for the impact crater in the road) landing. 

Stepping out of the slight depression it made upon impact, it charged once more at the black monster; this time no `fields' got in the way of the combatants. 

Changing its route of attack from the bone face plate to the glowing red orb, Eva-01's fist did little more than make the core slightly deeper into the torso but the glowing red orb remained sound. 

A second blow changed this and the surface developed hairline cracks extending away from the crude concentric circles which marked the first of several blows the core was receiving. 

Soon the blows started the actual breakup of the, now dimming, red crystal; large chunks had fallen off and hit the ground. 

Soon the chunks that were falling grew growing in both size and amount, a few more seconds and the core would be pulverized. 

In a seemingly mad attempt at using compassion, the weakened angel wrapped its arms around the chest of Eva-01 and drew its, now broken beyond repair, core to the face of the Evangelion. 

Once, twice, thrice the core regained the radiance it had before being so soundly beaten and then…light. 

Blinding light. Light so pure that it turned night to day and the blast could be seen from miles around; fortunately (or unfortunately depending on the point of view) for the denizens of Tokyo-3 the blast went straight upwards and ended in a single needle point. 

The only thing moving was, unbelievably enough, Eva-01. 

Although most of the armour had been either vaporized or melted off there was more than enough to recognize it as the artificial monstrosity that had been launched only a short while ago. 

Finally out of the burning light the one thing that proved that the last battle was impossible occurred; the pilot woke up. 

________ 

^huh?…wha-…what happened?^ 

Shinji looked around and took in his surroundings. ^Yep, definitely a dream alright, but I've never ha-^ 

"Shinji!" The voice of his commanding officer brought Shinji to re-assessing his situation 

^but if this isn't a dream what happened? Something's wrong with the display.^ 

Sure enough something was, Shinji might not be mensa level intelligence but, he was a relatively bright boy. 

The display was only showing right half of what was outside the Eva; properly. 

The rest was visible but the was the odd sensation that he had a massive blindspot was bothering Shinji. 

Shinji looked around the controls to find something that would be of use. 

^hmm, `external cameras L-P'? Let's see if these can show what's outsi-^ 

Suddenly, the display changed from a half display to a camera on the pauldron aimed directly at the head of Eva-01. 

Looking at his vehicle's head was oddly reassuring, suddenly the purple head shifted forward then proceeded to slide off; as if being sloughed off in some bizarre metamorphosis. 

Looking on Shinji saw the helmet (he assumed, since it _had_ protected the head) fall off in sections, from the massive blows it had sustained and the final blast. 

To reveal a dusky grey `head' with a dark bleeding wound marking the place where an eye had formerly resided. 

It was humanoid in its general features, it had an eye socket (now missing an eye) and a jaw and the outline of the head looked like a human's but, there the similarities ended. 

It had no nose to speak of, or even nostrils, no ears, just a hole marking where sound was heard and a massive amount of wires and cables plugged at various places around the head, most were ripped and dangled from the head; completely useless now that they were severed. 

^that must be what the Eva _really_ looks like...^ 

The scar split horizontally to expose a growing green dot, soon it spread the flesh further to show a whole eye, solid green and with three smaller pupils radiating around the central pupil, but an eye nonetheless. 

^that's why it was bleeding…it's alive…^ 

Completely awed by this revelation Shinji continued to stare at the massive eye. 

Shinji had the odd feeling that looking at himself… looking at himself… looking at himself… looking at himself… looking at himself… 

Like a camera aimed at the television it is displaying on, all Shinji saw was a blurring onrush of white and black bands; until he did what all visual displays do when they are looping into themselves, Shinji blacked out. 

*** 

(Gord): hehe oldest joke in Media English [laughs] 

(J_E): oh yeah : ) [laughs] 

(Pat): really? 

(Gord): yeah, here look {grabs a video camera feeds the wires to a mini tv and starts taping the screen, the tv just shows concentric black and white squares that shrink giving the impression of vertigo then the screen goes black} 

(Pat): is it broken? 

(Gord): nope. Here, look [point elsewhere and the screen works fine], just don't `look at yourself, look at yourself, look at yourself' `cause you'll black out or not. People are more complex than screens so it might not even work you might just stare forever at yourself. You don't go mad when you look at a mirror do you? 

(J_E): quiet, please 

*** 

_________________ 

The personnel of NERVs command centre had gone from terror, when the angel had dealt a supposedly fatal blow to the head of Eva-01. 

To raised expectations when Eva-01 got up. 

A seesaw of emotions that fills any audience watching the person or team they favour in a grueling match. 

Mortification when both combatants had been engulfed in the flames of definite oblivion and finally elation when Eva-01 walked out, battered and scorched but otherwise none the worse for wear. 

"3rd child's life signs detected"; lt. Ibuki. 

"Target's self-destruction confirmed"; lt. Makoto. 

"Retrieval crews moving to relieve pilots"; lt. Aoba 

"Still not receiving data from Eva-00"; lt. Ibuki 

"Fine then, we'll let the retrieval crews get her out. The comm array was damaged so we'll have to get onsite confirmation of her status, is that acceptable commander?" Katsuragi asked. 

"Yes." 

Pushing back from his console the commander stood upwards and walked down the flight of stairs to the common command area. 

Walking toward the only other `detail' that needed to be attended to, Gendo felt the comforting weight of his automatic in his lined commander's jacket. 

The fact that commander Ikari had acquired a fully automatic handgun was known by few, fewer still knew where he had acquired it. 

At this range he doubted unloading the whole clip would eliminate the problem. 

In fact, he was quite certain that the problem would be able to live up to its reputation as the "perfect UN soldier". 

As such it would take _much_ more than the armour cased rounds he had in the clip to properly damage an EXAS. 

That and the fact that it would be hard to explain how an EXAS had died while in a UN stronghold, if there wasn't a decent explanation; like suicide, which could be discounted due to the recording MOSAIC. 

EXAS would be investigating NERV with more than a token soldier and Gendo Ikari doubted that all of his subordinates would stand up to `investigation'. 

Or whatever system the bowels of EXAS-HQ had concocted to break the will of those it wanted information from, and EXAS was not above using torture; or so Gendo had learned. 

The `problem' looked onward at the main display and seemingly ignored the footsteps 

^he's pissed, something I didn't say : )^ 

*I'm gonna prod him, `k?* 

-*I disapprove you have enough enmity here without provoking the only person who has up till now `allowed' you to stay at NERV*- 

*noted, you can add it to the report. And it's `grudgingly allowed' took us nearly a year to find a way to get me sent here.* 

"Hello commander. Is there something I can assist you with?" 

Not even bothering to physically face Gendo had the desired effect. 

"you will face commanding officers when addressing them" 

"I _am_ facing you, I have 360 degree visuals. Sir!" 

"you will physically face _me_ when I address you or you address me, in that case" 

"very well" turning to face Gendo, Eagle still maintained the stone-faced expression that was increasingly harder to maintain 

-*shut up and stand down _NOW_, he might not rank you but he can get you booted from NERV, this isn't the time to get you back if he does boot you. Especially now that the angels are actually attacking *- 

"I, apologize commander. 

The power left in this suit is bottoming out and I want to limit the movement I put on it till I can recharge. 

Which is why I am now requesting temporary dismissal." 

Half expecting to have his ass kicked straight out of NERV for his impudence and half expecting the bluff to save his ass; Eagle actually _sounded_ sorry, and besides his power level was nearing empty anyway so it wasn't a complete lie. 

"Very well, you may leave to replace your...to recharge." 

Eagle walked out without another word and those who remained resumed the duties that NERV paid them for. 

-*it's very good he doesn't know how an EXAS recharges*- 

*when he didn't know how to tell me to recharge? Oh man, I'd never thought that Gendo Ikari would slip verbally and the expression, priceless. I want a blown up picture to remember it, oh and save the whole exchange to disc* 

-*very well, you will however face him when you address him*- 

*fine, fine, I did say I would anyway* 

^I wonder if she wrote her report yet…?^ 

____________ 

"mhhhm" 

The sound of rustling bed sheets was audible in the room and then silence. 

^Wha! What happened? Where! where am I? I've never seen this ceiling this before…^ 

Looking upwards, Shinji could safely assume that he was still alive. 

^Heaven wouldn't have fluorescent lights and smell of antiseptic^ he reflected. 

^but what happened, I guess the angel got killed or I wouldn't be here…^ 

Abandoning that train of thought Shinji looked at what else his room had in it. 

A quick glance confirmed that he was in a hospital of some sort. It had all the trappings of a hospital room: several adjustable beds, curtains on rails able to separate each bed's area, a door leading to the rooms lavatory and a single overly wide door with a handle; not a knob. 

Looking out the window Shinji saw that it was dark. The room's digital clock read 8:00. 

^…wa-it… how long have I been sleeping? And why is it dark?^ 

*** 

(Gord): long enough for you to forget that you just nearly lost your mind and that Evas are alive : ). 

*** 

Looking down at his hands he realized they hadn't changed much, no increase in size or liverspots. So he had missed a day at most he assumed. 

The sound of footsteps going past the door helped Shinji clear his head completely and he decided to take a walk and find out where he was. 

_________ 

^This is _really_ annoying^ Misato thought to herself. ^Why did I tell Ritsuko I'd bring Shinji to his new apartment here in Tokyo-3? I can't even find his room. This place is just a maze; I feel like a lab rat, with no prize at the end either^ 

Looking down at the slip of paper that had the room Shinji had spent the night in ^215-B, where the hell is 215-B?^ 

_______ 

Walking down the hallway Shinji saw someone walk out of a room and, slowly and soundlessly, close the door behind. 

The person then walked down the hallway towards Shinji. 

Soon Shinji realized why the person stood out from the hospital staff in their whites and greens. 

The person was his father and he was wearing the solid black commander's jacket he had worn when Shinji first saw him in Tokyo-3, just before Shinji had climbed into the Eva. 

Not able to back away now, since he didn't want to look like a coward in front of his father and since he was too tired to walk back to his room faster than his father would overtake him if Shinji did decide to turn around. 

Ten meters….…five…... three… two…one. "…." 

Kicking himself for not having anything good to say to his estranged father Shinji just kept walking. 

"Shinji." 

Just as he and his father passed each other the elder spoke. Stopping instantly Shinji waited to hear what his father had to say. 

"yes?...father" 

"Captain Katsuragi will be looking for you, you should rest till then" then he walked off, not even bothering to look back. 

Shinji stared at his father's back till he turned a corner and was out of site. 

^what? Why did he say anything anyway? Why didn't he even talk about when I was in that…thing?^ 

Continuing his previously uninterrupted path down the hallway Shinji stopped at the room he had seen his father leave. 

^209-A? Who would father be visiting at a hospital?^ 

Opening the door to find out who his father had seen, Shinji saw a bank of machines surrounding, and obscuring, the only bed in the room. 

Walking around the machines Shinji saw who was on the bed without having to look at her face. 

Even under the obscuring air mask the hair colour was a dead giveaway. 

^Ayanami? Why would my father want to see her?…and why does she look like that? ^ 

Shinji was not only confused but, more than a bit hurt, it had been nearly three years since he had seen his father last and even then they spoke little to each other. 

Shinji was an emotional mess; confused as to why Rei was visited by his father; envious that she and not him was visited and at the same time feeling guilty since she was on the hospital bed plugged into the machines and not him. 

^Why is she there and I'm ok? Why am I here anyway all I did was fall down and get beat up by the…angel? I thought angels were good?^. 

^why would father visit her? She's not even his daughter, who _is_ she? …but why did she pilot if she was hurt to begin with? 

Why didn't she go see a doctor before the fight? she was hurt then, she even coughed up blood …why did that stuff in the cockpit smell like blood? 

This place is so weird^ 

*** 

(Pat): I'll say, what's with your obsession with blood? 

(J_E): ^sanguineous, sangre, sanguimancy^...huh? 

(Pat): never mind ^wierdo^ 

(J_E):^works everytime^ 

(Pat): Uh in the Mst we can read each other's thoughts, remember? 

(J_E): f*cking technicality 

*** 

Lost in his thoughts, Shinji didn't notice Rei had only been sleeping and now had opened her eyes. Closing her eyes from the brightness of the room at first, then reopening slowly Rei reflected on the last battle. 

^it _didn't_ attack me at first…however the chances of it attacking were just as equal. 

The commander and sub-commander were correct in sending for…a pilot for Eva-01…he will need training if he is to pilot better…it would be wasteful if the pilot of Eva-01 died to soon….what was that sound?^ 

Looking up Rei saw what had distracted her. 

"Hello pilot Ikari" 

^has he been here long? I didn't notice him enter…I must have been asleep. If I am to do my duty I must not such lapses continue^ 

*** 

(Pat): "we are vigilant" : ) 

(J_E): let the Starcraft reference duel begin 

(Pat): "not a problem" 

(Gord): "what _is_ you major malfunction?" 

(J_E): "sequence complete…SOB" 

*** 

^What! she's been awake the whole time? She must think I'm weird for just standing here…" 

"..uh hi, Ayanami… so how are you?" 

^DAMN! That was a stupid thing to say, she's hospitalized and all I can say is `how are you?' great, just great^ 

Shinji continued kicking himself, mentally, until the silence was broken. 

"improving" came a near whisper. 

Speaking any louder would have been difficult at best for anyone who had an O2 mask on and for someone who spoke as softly as Rei Ayanami; well it was barely inaudible. 

^what is wrong with him? why does his face different now?^ 

Shinji was blushing, mostly out of embarrassment for not having something good to say and secondly because he thought the girl was ignoring him. 

He hadn't heard what Rei had responded ^I guess she thinks I'm a weirdo or something…^ 

"I'm gonna go now, okay Ayanami?" 

"very well" neither positive or negative, just neutral. 

*** 

(Gord): (deadpan) typical 

(J_E): : ) 

(Pat): ^???^ let me guess she is always like this. 

(J_E): yup 

*** 

"I'm going then" turning the handle, Shinji opened the door and walked down the hallway back to his room. 

Halfway to his room Shinji's walk was interrupted. 

"Hey! Shinji!" 

Turning around to find who was speaking Shinji saw another of the people he met the day before 

^what does she want?^. 

"So you ready to go Shinji?" 

"uh…go where?" ^if she's my commanding officer, 

why is she here?^ 

"to get something to eat, you don't expect to eat hospital food; do you?" ^what's wrong this time? I guess this kid would be kinda messed up but…^ 

"I, I don't have any clothes to change into; they're all at NERV still" 

"we _are_ at NERV still" 

"oh, I thought this was a hospital" 

"it is, this is NERVs on-base hospital, we have to be self sufficient if we're gonna fight the angels" 

^angels? There's more!^ 

"how many more?" 

"we're not sure. All we know is that they're coming to earth from beyond and that NERV is the best bet humanity has to stop them. But enough of this, let's go" 

…. 

"what's wrong Shinji? Oh, yeah, your clothes. Well let's go to the Eva pilot changes rooms, you clothes should still be there" 

"okay then" 

^this place even has a hospital…well, it does have mechas so a hospital is reasonable, I guess.^ 

*** 

(Pat): and it's easier on the plotline 

(J_E): not fair, NERV really does have a hospital on-site in the series 

(Pat): fine, fine 

*** 

______ 

Wandering the corridors some more, and getting lost more than once the unlikely pair made their way to the pilot change rooms. 

Once changed, Shinji grabbed his bag and went out to see Misato had her back to the entrance and was speaking on her cell phone. 

"okay then, but shouldn't he live wi-" 

… 

"fine, fine then but isn't he kinda young to live on his own?" 

… 

"oh, yeah, forgot about that…I guess that's fair, they do all the real work anyway so" 

… 

"I was _agreeing_ with you Ritsuko, sheesh and to think you were uptight before, hehe" 

… 

"see told you I could make you laugh" 

… 

"okay, bye then" 

Turning around she saw that Shinji had been standing there for a while "were you waiting for long?" 

"no. its okay. Were you talking about me?" 

Sheepishly Misato confessed "yeah, is it a problem if you live on your own?" 

Shinji just shrugged "why should it be a problem? I've been on my own almost all my life." 

"…so don't you want to live with your father…" 

Trying to leave the question as open ended as possible Misato was fishing for why the two lived apart. 

Shinji just shrugged "if I can't do anything about it, it doesn't matter. So where am I living?" 

"you're gonna stay and work for NERV by piloting Eva-01 right? You know your getting paid too" 

^why do I have to do this? Personnel should handle employment damnit!^ 

However, since her superior had ordered, Captain Katsuragi obeyed. 

"I don't have much choice? Do I? I'm gonna get paid?" 

^if they had to make me pilot right off the bat and the only other pilot is in the hospital then pilots must be really hard to find, why would they pay… to keep it legal I guess. ^ 

"Well we're not forcing you if you don't want to, but we really are desperate for people who can synchronize well with the Evangelions, and judging from your first try you're a shoe in; and _trust_ me the pay is good" 

^did that come out the right way? Personnel should have done this, but I don't think Shinji would listen to them, hey that's why…damnit why am I always the last to know about this stuff^ 

"can I just think about working, for a bit? I mean it's not that I don't want to, but if I'm being paid…" ^they want to pay me so I can stay? I've never needed money before…what's the point "if your living on your own you'll need money"^ 

The voice of reason spoke up and quelled Shinji's doubts. 

*** 

(J_E):[holding a microphone] 

(Pat): [looking at the mike]...heyy that `voice of reason' was you. Wasn't it? 

(J_E): [throws the mike away] nooo… 

*** 

"okay, then I'll work for NERV" 

^they need me^ 

^what! That fast he said yes? This is not what they said would happen, oh well easier for me I guess^ 

"are you sure you're gonna be fine living on your own?" 

Shinji just shrugged "why not" a vague thought flicked in his head "why are you asking again?" ^and why is she smiling like that? Uh oh^ 

"have you seen the sleeping quarters you've been assigned?" ^this is too much fun, he's squirming too, oh this is funny^ 

"uh, no are they bad or something?^ 

"they're in the geofront" 

"so?" ^what does that mean? So they're underground, 

so what?^ 

"they're barracks, not apartments. They're no place for real people to live" ^and they suck too^ 

"oh, can I stay somewhere else then, I mean if I'm paid I _could_ live somewhere else couldn't I?" 

^well he _should_ be able to live somewhere else but unless…^ 

"it'd be hard to find a place to live right now, all the `safer' areas are full and all the abandoned areas are no place to live; why don't you stay at my place, you could split the rent with me so you won't be inconveniencing me and when you find a place you can move there." Extending her hand Misato finished 

"Deal?" 

"uh…" 

^ she said the place I was assigned wouldn't be a good place to live, but it doesn't really matter, I mean one place is as good as an other…I just can't leave her with her hand in the air…^ 

"well, the thing is…uh, I really don't know… you see I've never shared an apartment before and uh…" 

"c'mon Shinji! It'll be fun, whadda ya say; roomies?" 

"I…guess" 

^how did I get myself into this…^ 

*** 

(J_E): Just say `no' to sloppy, drunk women who invite you to live with `em….uh what am I saying? Never mind. 

(Gord): Go Skinji! Wish I was Shinji, uh wait no. 

(Pat): She's really like that? lemme guess she's more like a male bachelor in the way she lives than a female ^sloppy, drunk…what else?… oh yeah^ is this an anime staple? 

(J_E): uh…(looks at Gord, who nods)…yeah I guess 

(Pat): I'll never get why you watch this stuff 

(sounds of a scuffle) 

(Pat): uh, yeah…anime rules…(sotto voice) so where's the peroxide and gauze? 

*** 

"Great! I'll make the arrangements" 

Pulling the cell phone from her jacket, Misato realized that she'd have to replace the battery pack with the charged one in her bedroom 

^but where'd I put the charger this time…^ 

After pressing the speed dial numbered 2 and waiting for two rings she got through to the person she wanted to talk to. 

"Hey Ritsuko!" 

"yes? You're not lost again?" ^even if I gave her a gps locator she'd probably get lost…and lose the locator too^ 

"I just wanted you to know Shinji is gonna live at my place, he'd already be on his own in the geofront so it wouldn't be a big deal; would it?" 

"What ?! Who said you could do that?" 

"No one, but Shinji agreed and he's better off living with an adult than on his own anyway" ^yeah try and poke a hole in _that_^ 

"I, guess its ok; just don't hit on him, he's just a kid" ^1…. 2… 3… 4-^ 

"Hey no fair! That's the second time in as many days too! Besides he doesn't look like he would be okay staying on his own anyway" 

^second time? When did that happen? doesn't matter^ 

"Fine then, I'll transfer Shinji to your care then. Just make sure your not in over your head" 

^your always rushing to new things, aren't you Misato? That's why I always liked you I guess…^ 

"Thanks Ritsuko, talk to you later then" ^your always there when I need you^ 

"Sure, but I don't finish my shift till much later, tomorrow maybe" 

"fine then, see ya later" 

-click- 

"Well then Shinji, let's go" 

____________ 

"Well Blade, what did you get from NERV?" 

-"not much, but with every time I get past security I have to find a new way to fool the magi that I'm a legitimate user and find high enough access. It will be several months till I find more information, unless you find a user who is 5th column material"- 

"no one trusts me enough yet, what info did you find though?" 

-"NERV has a very small staff for the size of its complex. It has a good technology division, more than adequate but hardly ever used machine shops, a state of the art hospital and medical staff and a rather well trained security department; but, it has nearly no middle management"- 

^huh?^ 

"But, isn't that nearly impossible for a group as big as NERV?" 

^and funded as well as NERV is^ 

-"the MAGI organize all of NERV's more mundane tasks so middle managers are dispensed with, but either the staff that are paid are either paid very well; or…"- 

"What? Ikari's skimming cash? but his accounts all checked out and there are no recent accounts that can be traced from NERV." 

-"there are other ways to transport money, physically for instance"- 

"…" ^what the fuck? who would still do that?^ 

-"you thought Ikari would be so foolish as to transact funds electronically? If he knew there are so many eyes on NERV as well as him he most likely wouldn't, at least I wouldn't"- 

"no, I just thought of something…what if the Eva's aren't all Ikari is up to, Rei for instance" 

-"yes about the 1st child pilot. I suspect she is gene-engineered or at least modified. She didn't strike you as the sort of person who would dye their hair or wear contacts as a fashion statement, did she?"- 

"no, and if she is; Ikari is a threat to everything the UN stands for, gene-engineering was banned; and if he made a superior Eva pilot at the gene level… he could burn us all with him." 

-"unless she was modified _after_ she was born, but it would still put you in a potential situation"- 

Eagle grinned "maybe not, but if so I'd better get the rest of my stuff soon; I hate having to borrow local gear" 

^makes me seem so ungracious. and I'd rather use my own gear^ 

-"yes about that, the JSDF appreciate you returning of the 15mm gun but I requested and they allowed you to borrow it till you leave Japan"- 

"ok so where's the apc then? It wasn't outside when I came in?" 

-"it's in the geofront. I got authorization from the MAGI to store it near one of the exits for later, I doubt we'll need to move it from there since you have your car and the talon will be here in a week"- 

^the talon? Jo' finished what he said he would do already? He said it would take weeks…oh shit, what did he do this time?^ 

"…" 

-"hello? Eagle. You there?"- 

"..yeah, did Jo' finish with the talon or not?" 

-"the vehicle itself, yes; however…"- 

^I knew it, no way anyone could fix that wreck so damn fast, not even Jo^ 

-"… the control computer and the sidecar still need to be installed and assembly respectively and the armour isn't all on"- 

^Oh, not bad. He must have just been working on the bike this whole time^ 

"really? You mean he nearly rebuilt the whole damn thing and he told me `mon, you fucked your bike bad. De side ca's no' ev'n worf scrap, the comp's fried and the bike's gonna need nearly new everything, iz gonna take a while till its all finished mon. Next time be more careful Eagle.' " 

Eagle laughed at the tech's ability to slip from ghee-chee to oxford English at a moment's notice as he recounted the technician's diagnosis of the pile of half-melted scrap that had once been a motorcycle. 

-"Nonetheless, technician Johannen has been working nearly nonstop to get the talon ready to be shipped when your container arrives, moved to seven days since the last attack on the pilots; the saviors doubted a real EXAS would be there or, they might not care anymore. 

If the saviors no longer fear us, either they are desperate or overconfident; you know what that means?"- 

"Yeah, `training, training and more training'. So, what are they sending besides the talon and you? Those shipping containers are awful big ^and expensive^ to send nearly empty." 

-"Tech-div sent some upgrades and new equipment as well as a standard base repair package, the coolant liner can be actually repaired in a few days. 

The items you packed for transfer are being sent and the items I recommended you shouldn't pack were found and are being left. Transfer of plant and animal matter is enforced with severe penalties, I left them back at your home."- 

^what?!^ 

"_you_told _me_ that it would be fine." 

Straining just to speak Eagle, made his displeasure known. 

Eagle hated being crossed, especially by those close to him, the worm of betrayal was starting to gnaw at him from the inside out when he heard his closest confidant telling him that it had gone back on its word. 

-"I had a clean-up team attempt to find the items before I had them shipped; they found it in a few seconds. 

If I had actually shipped those boxes I would have to do more than simply tell a clean-up crew that I wanted to verify the presence of the items in your home. They will still be there when you get back"- 

Eagle would need several hours to actually accept this till then he would be a seething ball of nervous energy. 

Blade continued speaking as if nothing had happened. 

-"Finally, Jo packed nearly all of his `chop shop' as he calls it and he brought a diesel generator `just in case.' "- 

-"I'll finish compiling the report of yesterday's operation and a report on the subsequent battle between the angel against Evas 00 and 01, and I'll send them to General Sani. 

Did you notice anything strange in the technical crew when Eva-01 reactivated after Shinji had his Eva's shoulder dislocated"- 

"Yeah, Dr. Akagi was practically running from console to console the whole time and the techs were like caffeine stuffed hamsters; they were freaked about Eva-01 reactivating without Shinji waking up, the Eva was out of control wasn't it?" 

-"to a degree yes, the pilot was out of commission but, the Eva identified the angel as a target, not the city itself. In addition the `uncontrolled' Eva did less collateral damage than pilot Ikari did; not to mention fight like it had been born to fight. 

NERV should find a way to either stimulate the machine to fight independently or we have to give Shinji combat training."- 

"No, if anyone give him training it'll be NERV, not EXAS; I'm here strictly as an observer. 

I've already overstepped my authority by having to actually fight and the security council won't be pleased that an observing EXAS was used in combat; they might pull all of my gear unless I'm upgraded to FCS. 

I doubt Ikari wants me in full combat gear walking through NERV's hallways." 

-"Agreed, nonetheless if Shinji and Rei had this much trouble dealing with a single angel, it bodes ill for later defenses of Tokyo-3 against an angel."- 

"Actually, that's something that bothers me. 

How is Ikari so certain the angels will attack one by one? 

If I was in charge of their attack I'd mass all my troops and rush Earth en masse. 

Not piecemeal like the commander is certain they will. His belief is very arrogant and it could get us all killed." 

-"and what if he is correct? And the angels do not attack in massed ranks? It won't matter will it?"- 

"If they can fold or cut through or magic whatever their way through space like the eggheads say they can why don't they attack all at once? " 

-"how they travel is speculation for now, all that we know is that the angels do not even expect resistance so as a result they would attack piecemeal as it would probably save them time"- 

"Fine then but, if there had been an other angel, they should have wiped us out in one fell swoop. Unless there is a bigger picture you and me don't see…" 

Eagle was a more prone to being paranoid than reticent about upcoming conflicts, fortunately each EXAS' computer was more than able to smooth out many imperfections in it's human partner. 

-"All that matters currently is ensuring that Earth _can_ stand up to defend against the angels. The Argus system detects them as they near so we know when they will show up and the Evas will defeat them. 

The first battle proved the plan will work and until a better plan is presented…"- 

A calm controlled voice repeating already known facts always worked to calm Eagle and this time was no exception. 

"Fine, fine, it just seems that the angels should have won right from the start. 

So either they want us over-confident or they really aren't that good at planning a war… Well what's the rest of today? Target range?" 

-"yes, NERV is allowing you to use their facilities for training and the expense reports will be sent to EXAS HQ for payment monthly"- 

"Well then, let's get going" 

_________________ 

"So Shinji, whaddya think of Tokyo-3?" 

"i-it's n-n-nice I g-g-guess" ^ 

why does she have to drive so _fast_! It's not we're late or something, we're just going to her apartment^ 

"stop stammering Shinji! I can't hear a thing you say if you don't speak clearly" 

"Sorry" 

Just then the car took the next off ramp, away from the city centre. 

"I thought we were going to your place?" 

"you're a smart kid. I'll confess; Shinji, I have ulterior motives for you living with me." 

The way she said the last sentence very, very slowly made Shinji uncomfortable; _very_ uncomfortable. ^WHATDIDSHESAY?!^ 

*** 

(Pat): Hahahaha! Go Shinji! 

(Gord): uh, I thought no limes, this looks more like a lemon right now than anything else 

(J_E): … Hahahaha 

*** 

Taking a sideways glance, Misato saw she got the response she wanted and started laughing. 

When she finally had her fill of mirth, and Shinji had more than his fill of shame; visible by his red face and bugging out eyes, Misato spoke again. 

"Nah, I'm just messing with you, I just want to show you something that almost nobody in Tokyo-03 ever sees" 

A lot more relaxed but, still on edge Shinji wondered if it was safe to even dare asking "w-w-w-what?" 

"Tokyo-3" 

^????^ 

"what?" 

"Trust me, you'll understand when you see it" 

Shinji looked out the window to see the buildings reach less for the sky as they went further and further from the city's centre until they city gave way to more open ground reached a side road that weaved its way back and forth up the side of the hill. 

In the short the time it to reach the top the sun was beginning to set. 

Bringing the car to a stop Misato undid her seatbelt, opened the door and got out. 

Shinji, still confused as to what he was going to see followed suit and when he was out Misato spoke. 

"See, isn't it amazing?" 

Turning to see Misato leaning up against a concrete embankment, looking out and away from the vantagepoint and onto the sunset that was now descending behind the city. 

"Yeah, it is amazing." 

^so this is what she meant; I guess not that many people come here, its so away from the centre and all.^ 

"No, no not just yet" looking at her watch Misato confirmed a time she knew and looked again "It should start any second now, this is what I wanted to show you" 

Slowly at first giant hatches slid apart and from out of the chasms they enclosed rose Tokyo-3. 

Well, at least the buildings that were under hatches and had survived the last battle. 

Even then it was amazing, like watching the video of the building of a city which is replayed super fast. 

"That's amazing. Does this happen every night?" 

"Yup every night. This is Tokyo-3 Shinji. Most advanced city in the world, the perfect anti-angel fortress and the city you defended last night" 

"You make me sound so important, b-but i-i-I, I didn't do it for them… ." 

The sick realization that he really didn't care about the rest of the people of Tokyo-3 bothered Shinji. 

^I said I would pilot because of them, but I really did it because, because, because father wanted me to. He's never asked me to do anything, except stay away from his work and, now I can show him I _can_ do something. So I _have_ to show him I am worth something, I am good at something…but it smells like blood in there and I didn't really like it and ….^ 

"There, there it's ok Shinji." 

Feeling more of the real world as he drew out of his thoughts Shinji saw everything distorted, Shinji realized he wasn't seeing clearly from the tears that were flowing out. 

Then he realized there was slight pressure on his shoulders and back, Shinji turned to look at what was resting on his shoulder. 

Misato had placed her arm on the boy's shoulders, partially to comfort him. 

Hell, she didn't think standing there would help him much, but she hardly knew the kid. 

And partially, to keep him from falling over the embankment, it was a long sixty feet till the ground leveled off to even catch anything that fell. 

^this is so typical, can't I think of something better to say than `there, there', that's the last thing I would want to hear if I was crying; so unoriginal…I hope it helped him a little though^ 

Looking up Shinji saw Misato with a faint smile on her face. 

"you feel better now Shinji?" 

Shinji was hiccuping, and although better than sobbing he couldn't talk, so he just nodded. 

Misato kept talking, however she was having a nearly impossible time lying through her teeth about some of the things she said. 

"It doesn't matter if you didn't fight to save the city ^ARGGGGH!^, but you got into the Eva when you never heard of it before that day. 

That was something brave to do, even if you hadn't fought it would have been brave to try; and Shinji…." 

Looking up again Shinji waited for Misato to continue. 

"…you fought even though you had never done this before, you should be proud for putting your life on the line for all of our sakes" 

Shinji just nodded and slowly started to speak 

"…I just wish I could hear those words…" 

The image of his father passing him by in the hospital flitted past his eyes. 

^Why didn't you say anything else father? Am I really worthless to you?….^ 

"…never mind Misato-san, where are we going next?" 

^I just want to rest now.^ 

"Boy, your such a downer, ya see I usually hit a couple of bars around before I go home. 

aannd if you come with me we'll have to be beating the girls off ya with a stick…sooo, we're just gonna go home and eat" 

Laughing at her own joke, Misato walked back to the blue sports car and remembered something that had been said before. 

^Can't think eh? Well who needs a computer to drive? You can have a perfectly capable _person_ doing all the driving anyway.^ 

Patting the top she purred to the car "don't worry baby, the nasty robot man and his computer won't _ever_ hurt you." 

However why or how the nasty `robot' man or his computer would ever damage Captain Katsuragi's `not exactly brand-new' Alpine Renault was only something Misato herself could determine. 

^She's definitely…different, who would talk to their car…maybe she has no friends^ 

This made Shinji even more depressed, during most of his life he had built few relationships that were more than vague acquaintances. 

Sighing, he walked to the car opened the door, climbed in, close the door, pulled the seatbelt on and waited till `Misato-san', which he now was _convinced_ was more than a little crazed, got the car moving again. 

_____________ 

"You have _much_ to explain Black." The voice from above the red light set in the table came nasally. 

The old bespectacled man sold the software to nearly every computer system on the globe, and he had no desire to lose control of any other of his endeavors, shady or legal. 

"Yes, much to explain; you sent a _completely_ unqualified child, your son no less, in the prototype _and_ due to your actions the test type is severely damaged. 

The repair costs alone could bankrupt a small country" yellow spoke. 

Conservative money handlers are always concerned about the bottom line. 

Even when presented a door to earth-shattering changes yellow had never strayed from his stolid middle of the road mindset. 

^red and yellow, one of the alliances within alliances. Now for the others to save respond^ Gendo mused. Looking down at the `light' imbedded in the table he reflected on the irony the most publicly visible member here had been assigned the darkest shade of the spectrum. 

"And this interloper, this common _soldier_! 

Of all the nerve Ikari, you allowed this person to transport one of the pilots from their arrival point to NERV. How were you sure he could be trusted?" green demanded. 

Few ever listened to green, he was always puffing smoke; his media empire helped mask the rest of the councils actions very well however, so they kept him as a member. Albeit, a member who was told as little as possible. 

"The interloper is loyal to the UN, and as such; so long as he does not know of the true plan, he will not attack NERV. 

He assumes that NERV is strictly a UN organization" Blue offered. Blue was the only one who was even remotely altruistic of the people gathered; in public at least. All here knew or heard rumors of the large man's narcotic and weapons empire, the same empire which supplied arms to the many `rebellions' that had kept the UN's, now massive, military might engaged. 

"Yes, if the chief of EXAS is admitted to work for us, there will be no problem of loyalty, and the damnable Saviors have scaled back their attacks. Just the mention of the UN's terror troops working for NERV are effective in protecting our interests. 

Ikari, find if the interloper could be `coerced' to join NERV, permanently." 

Violet continued, everyone knew all Violet wanted was a full EXAS combat suit as a blueprint for his own `security' agency's forces, copies of an EXAS patterned combat suit would eliminate EXAS as a treat to SEELE. 

"This is all good, the interloping group should be held at bay unless they can work for us, however this is not why we are all here. 

Who was the attacker aligned with Black? 

The reports state that at first it didn't attack patriarch copy but it did afterwards, what happened?" 

Orange finished, orange was either a madman who hid true nature under a veil of perfect calm or, a completely collected man who purposely went into fits since it worked well for him. What he did in real life was unknown by nearly all, orange was a founder of this group and so far none who he didn't want to know his history had found anything. 

Hearing his colour, black, called Gendo replied. 

"The target didn't attack at first we assume because it recognized the patriarch copy for the patriarch but, the target retaliated once the patriarch copy attacked. 

As for the copy of the matriarch; the target attacked as soon as it saw the copy. 

Gentlemen the first attacker was obviously aligned with the patriarch's forces." 

"Very well Black, you will have the funding you need. 

However the matter of the interloper cannot be dealt by us directly. 

You are able to contact him without raising suspicion and therefore you are best suited to solve the…problem. 

Do not forget our ultimate purpose Black. 

The defeat of the angels is secondary, we _must_ complete the human-creator instrumentation projects." 

White, the leader of the cabal, had spoken; all waited for his (or her, since `White' never let his face be seen) next command. 

"Black, you are dismissed." White finished, the electronically masked voice defied attempts at guessing anything of `White's' identity. 

The lights in the table turned off, along with the projected images that were displayed at Gendo Ikari's holo-conference table. 

Standing up and turning Gendo addressed the person in the shadows as they came out. 

"well sensei, how will we deal with the interloper?" 

"corporeal release is the most permanent solution. However, it would not look good if he perished on our premises; eliminate him when he is in the city" 

"that would be the easiest method…the others want us to coerce him to work for us." 

"it will take time, he is loyal to his `global community' first and EXAS records being erased it will be hard to find how to bend him" 

"yes Kouzou, but I trust you can help me find these supposed `deleted records' nothing is deleted permanently or from all record lists" 

Kouzou Fuyutsuki knew something else was being hinted at and took note, his former pupil might be hinting at something. 

"I will do what I can commander" 

Realizing that he still called Kouzou `teacher' when he was now commander made him reflect on a saying from an other land ^…the student has surpassed the teacher… I wonder if you are proud Kouzou of what you helped me do…^ 

___________ 

"Well here we are! Oh don't look so glum Shinji, geez ya think a drive would cheer you up." 

"we went shopping" ^for instant food^ Shinji shuddered at the implications. 

^ "all instant food = no real food". I guess I'll be cooking from now on.^ 

Still it was too late to cook anything, and Shinji was too hungry to turn his nose at any food; even if it had the nutritional value of cardboard and all the flavor of a shredded credit card. 

"details, details, I'm glad the place down the street had some good food left; so what do you want Shinji?" 

"Doesn't matter, what are you having?" 

"Just some ramen, you want some?" 

"yeah." Shinji hated ramen, he preferred plain rice to mix with other food, not soup. Shinji was both too hungry and completely spent from all the shocks from the last few days to say anything. 

"Well then, can you put it in the microwave; I just _have_ to take a shower ^hope he doesn't black out during every fight, had to stay overnight to make sure he would be ok when he got up^… Oh, and put the other food in the fridge and the instant food can go in the cupboards." 

Walking of down the hallway to her room and grabbing a towel Misato went to take a shower. 

"Uh Misato? What is this? _Where_ do I put the food?" 

^Which one do I use?^ 

"Oh don't worry about the other fridge, he's probably still sleeping, so don't open it" came the muffled voice of Misato from behind the bathroom door. 

As the shower was turned on all Shinji could hear was the running water which drowned out anything else she said. 

Walking to the one fridge with a door he could open; the other `fridge' had a door in it alright, but in was rather small and almost flush with the ground ^someone lives in there?…^, Shinji saw why Misato had bought so little food. 

^Beer, beer, and more beer. Oh, wait, some condiments in front of…more beer. Where do I put this food…what kind of life does she lead?…pleeaase let this be for a party and not a show of how much she drinks^ 

Doing his best to fit the food into the beer packed fridge Shinji didn't hear something walking up to him. 

"Whaaa! What is that?" 

`That' was tugging on the leg of Shinji's pants with one of its `hands' Shinji guessed. 

^That's why she has a second fridge^ 

Looking down at the nameplate on `things' chest he saw the inscription `pen-pen'. A fitting name for a meter tall aquatic avian who could never be able to fly but, that swam water like it was nobody's business. Shinji looked the bird over but couldn't tell what kind of penguin it was, then again there are many species that make up the 

"Uh, h-h-hi pen-pen. Do you want something from the fridge?" Shinji grinned at his own question. 

^like he would understand anyway …why does she have a penguin anyway?^ 

The avian pointed one of its flippers at something, ^what? He understood me? Uh…^ 

Looking at the direction the flipper was pointing he saw it was pointed at his hand, or rather at the box in his hand. 

Looking at the box Shinji realized why Misato had bought such a big box of raw fish. 

"You want the fish right?" 

The bird nodded its head very slowly, as if trying to impress the gravity of the matter to an idiot. 

Shinji felt very odd being stared down, or up if you really think about it, by a bird who lived in a fridge in the middle of a city. 

"Here then, have `em" dropping the box into the waiting flippers he saw the bird deftly tear off the cellophane wrapper, open the box and eat a fish whole 

^kinda weird, no _really_ weird, having a penguin for a pet; and what's with those hands…never knew they had hands, next he'll be flying.^ 

That last thought made Shinji smile 

^penguins flying hehehe^ 

"Hey Shinji, what's up; you meet pen-pen?" looking at the opened box of fish Misato had her question answered. 

"Yeah, just make sure he doesn't more than two at a meal; he's a real greedy bird. Aren't you pen-pen?" walking toward the calmly eating bird Misato had a grin on her face. 

Why? Shinji had no idea why. 

Realizing what was happening, pen-pen wakened from his food-induced torpor and made a run for it with all the speed his short penguin legs could muster. 

He could never outrun a human in a footrace, in the sea he could swim circles around even the fastest Olympic swimmer, out of his element pen-pen could only hope Misato gave up before she started or… 

:shwiish: 

The door of his fridge automatically closing behind him, pen-pen was safe from Misato picking him up and tickling him till he was blue in the face, or whatever colour penguins turn when they are tickled into heaving fits. 

"oh well, he got away; this time. Are the ramen done yet Shinji?" 

Although he had been watching the developing spectacle around him Shinji's stomach wouldn't allow him to ignore the preparation of food, no matter how bad it could be. 

He had put two of the cardboard containers, with `almost' cardboard as `food' inside, in the auto-oven and cooked them. 

"yeah, here's yours" handing one of the steaming cups full of noodles, broth and what passed for `…with tasty meat and vegetables' to Misato he made his way to the table and sat to eat. 

"you want something to drink Shinji? I've got Yebisu." 

^…no of course I didn't see a fridge with enough beer in to drown a man…^ 

Grabbing six cans held together with the ever-present plastic rings Misato walked to the table. 

"I'm a minor." Blunt and to the point. 

"So? If you're my ward, I can let you drink if I want to" Misato shrugged. 

^doesn't like beer I guess, whee hee; more for me^ 

"I, I never really tasted beer" 

^why is she smiling? uh oh^ 

"you don't know what you're missing Shinji. Here, have a sip." 

"…uh…" 

"c'mon, no one ever got drunk on a sip of beer" 

^…well there _was_ that one time we got the rats drunk in college but, hell they're small so a can is more like a keg to them…^ 

"ok then" 

^here goes nothing I guess^ 

… 

"eauhh!" 

^how can she drink that stuff?^ 

"HAHAHA, you don't like beer I guess. Don't worry, it'll taste better when your older" 

^eaauhh, how can _that_ taste better? Wait if she likes beer, and she like _this_ instant food….^ 

"I guess you can drink water or juice from now on." Still snickering from Shinji's first taste of beer, Misato took the opened can, wiped the opening with a napkin put it to her mouth and downed it in _one_ shot. 

"YEEEHAAAA! Ohh, that's the _best_ thing to have after a hot shower." 

Shinji ignored the woman's testament to alcohol's glory and tried the noodles to make sure they weren't taste odd. 

If she liked beer and beer tasted like that who knew what kind of food she would buy, one could never be too careful he reasoned. 

Sighing he experimentally lifted an noodle to his mouth and sucked it in. ^Ok, guess beer just tastes that way, why would anyone drink that stuff?^ 

"That was good, eh Shinji?" 

Misato had finished her food in no time and was now on her fourth beer, each one being downed in a single quaff. 

^How can she drink that stuff in one gulp like that?^ Shinji shuddered when he remembered the taste, cold, bitter and mildly alcoholic. 

"…I guess." 

Looking up, Misato saw Shinji had barely touched his food; except for a few mouthfuls at the start Shinji had stopped eating. 

"you don't like it?" 

"no, it's just that I'm not used to eating like this…" 

"Hey! Just because it's instant food doesn't mean it's bad" 

Even if she hadn't cooked, Misato was as indignant as any hostess would be if they were told their food; well, sucked. 

"N-n-n-no! I don't mind the food!… 

^It's better than I thought it would be too^ 

… It' just that, eating like this is different for me" 

Catching on to what the boy meant Misato smiled wanly, "Yeah I guess it's nice, don't you?" 

"huh?" 

"Eating with others I mean, it's better than eating alone. Isn't it?" 

"yes, yes it is" 

________________ 

Ritsuko Akagi was recognized by all of NERV personnel as one of the top three ranking people in NERV. 

Why she was a gopher right now she had no idea. 

Then again the word of commander Ikari was law and he had asked her to `personally deliver' the large brown envelope she held in her hand. 

^NERV firing range 3-1. This is the place… sounds like he should still be here…^ 

As she opened the door, the previously muffled sound of a handgun being fired spilled into the hallway and was muffled again as the door closed behind her. 

Only three actual ranges were being used. 

The closet to the door was a security agent was keeping her marksmanship up to par. 

Further down the range one of the higher-ranking technology workers was starting his gun training as a result from his last promotion. 

NERV was a military organization first and foremost; even technicians were allowed to bear arms and if they ranked high enough they had to bear arms. 

The last range was occupied by the only person in NERV, beside the commander, who wore a black uniform; and the only EXAS stationed at NERV. 

Walking down the passageway, past the automated ammo dispenser with its ID card scanner, past the two other practicing NERV employees and up to Eagle who was reloading each barrel of his rather odd looking handgun. 

"I thought EXAS used the very best" 

Looking up and turning Eagle looked at Dr. Akagi. 

"we do" 

^why is she here? target practice?…no she's not packing but, she's ranked to carry a piece so why isn't she…^ 

*is she packing?* 

-*can't tell, I think that lab coat is lined with something other than acid repellant or cotton it's blocking wha-*- 

"It's interesting that the gun you have has six barrels" 

"Possibly" ^get to the FUCKING point doctor^ 

"the most barrels a metal storm gun could take was set at four that…" pointing at the large black gun Eagle was still loading "…is not what is issued to the rest of the UN's security forces." 

"I doubt you are here to discuss why assault units need better than average handguns? Have my SPS documents arrived yet?" 

"They arrived a short while ago. Here." 

Handing the envelope over to Eagle she stood waiting for his confirmation as to what was inside. 

"Aren't you going to open it?" 

Eagle had looked the thin brown paper package over, smiled slightly, placed it on the table and weighted it down with a half empty box of bullets. 

Ritsuko looked at the box and realized that none of the boxes on the small table were of the same caliber. 

"Tell Ikari if he accesses my _personal_ mail I can have him brought before the security council. The UN won't stand for the mail of an EXAS being tampered with, even by an other UN organization." 

^your move, doctor…^ 

"I don't know what you're talking about." 

^the commander opened this envelope already? …then that's why he sent me but, how does he know it was opened?^ 

"No, it's obvious you don't know… Just pass the message along then, doctor" 

The last thing someone wants to be told is that they `don't know'. 

Quite frankly, its very embarrassing for most people so they just bluster and speak garbage words to make themselves look intelligent, many who practice the religion of non-science are like this. 

Ritsuko Akagi wasn't one of those people; true scientific discovery, the kind that had built NERV from a fledgling council investigating the angels to the caretaker of the UN's biggest living tanks, is based on finding what is unknown and uncovering it. She wasn't about to lose her cool because someone used loaded words. 

"Very well then, I will relay the message." Turning around Ritsuko started to walk out of the room. 

"Oh, doctor" 

^what does he want?…^ 

"the Evas…" 

"yes?" 

"they have MS guns, don't they?" 

^we shouldn't have given the cost reports on the Evas as they were originally written^ 

"During the development of side arms for the Evangelions we found that a scaled up version of Metal Storm's products would make it very easy to maintain the weapons and keep repair costs down" 

"and now you see an EXAS with non-standard Metal Storm style gun and you want to upscale it for an Eva?" 

"partly, the costs of replacing all current Evangelion sidearms is prohibitive but…" 

"yes?" Eagle looked away from the doctor and loaded slug after slug into an other empty barrel. 

"this one has been modified…after manufacture" 

"yes, EXAS' are allowed to modify their equipment to fit their needs" 

"where did you get this…can I take a look at it?" 

"sure" Eagle clicked the barrel back into place and handed it, grip first, to the doctor. 

Ritsuko looked at the only thing that had hinted at the gun's `remodeling', fine lines of discoloured metal between the barrels and the body of the gun. 

Discoloured by the use of a cutting torch to separate the barrels from where they originally belonged and solder to make this modified weapon. 

"how was this possible? No MS weapons had barrels smaller than .38, you have two 5 mm barrels here ^and this really small barrel, no bullet is that narrow…^ who made this?" 

"A tech who I know did this for me. How he did it I don't know, I just told him what I needed it to do and paid for the parts he needed if you wanted to know more you'd have to ask him." 

"where is he now?" 

"I don't know, its not like we are able to keep the best technicians in the public sector indefinitely. The person who made this is probably working for some megacorp…bigger and better things eh?" 

^just a nibble, then a rap on the nose, lets see how you like that doctor?^ 

Even if she would not be able to find who had made the truly unorthodox changes to the firearm Ritsuko still wanted to find out as much as possible about the UN's other secrets, specifically what exactly EXAS used in combat. 

"the targeter is an EXAS standard, isn't it?" 

"No its not a standard we're EXAS we don't _need_ targeters. Look, I still have target practice to do and you probably have stuff to look up about the last battle. Why are you asking all these questions about EXAS gear anyway?" 

"If your going to be staying long enough to warrant a full extended stay package you'll be using the machine shops here at NERV to repair anything that gets damaged, I assume." 

"well I don't really need one but if you give us a spare room to use we would appreciate it" 

^we? How many people _are_ coming?^ 

"If you're using a machine shop I can transfer the necessary equipment to an unused one, and to do that it would be better if I knew what kind of equipment you have" 

"Nah, all we'll need is a room with lots of electricity and outlets, the tech that's coming is bringing a full repair shop for my gear. Blade gave the request a week ago for a location in the geofront." 

^shit, she wants access to E-Tech; good thing Jo will be here to fix the broken bio sections, hope she bought that one^ 

"About that, those buildings were temporary quarters; they're used for storage, you're better off quartering in the city proper. There are multiple NERV owned apartment blocks you could pick living quarters from" 

^shit…Ikari doesn't want me in the geofront if he can help it, and the city isn't a good place to set up shop….what to do, what to do, what to do?^ 

"Okay then, can Blade find out where they are from the MAGI?" 

^MAGI? Why would he want …oh no you don't^ 

"No, it's okay. I'll have the data on the locations sent to Blade, you can make the requests straight to the MAGI" 

"Fine with me. Bye for now then." 

"Yes, oh and you should get the request in before midnight three days before to process the occupancy forms" 

^occupancy forms? This city is being abandoned and they want people to fill waiting list forms?^ 

"Shouldn't there be lots of room here in the city. I mean all I saw was departures on the rail, airport and roadways, why the occupancy forms?" 

"Just because people evacuate doesn't mean they abandon their homes. Most are just moving to outlying cities and towns temporarily. The people expect NERV to win the angel war, they just don't want to get stuck in the fighting." 

^and risk dying^ She added grimly to herself. 

"They really trust the Evangelions don't they?" 

"Yes." 

"Do you trust them?" 

"That doesn't matter, what does matter is that they stop the angels" 

^what is he trying to pull?^ 

^Impartial to the core, eh? Good she won't make snap judgements later.^ 

Looking at her watch and her timetable on her clipboard Ritsuko decided she wasn't about to get anything else about EXAS equipment out of Eagle today. 

"I'll leave you then." 

"good bye doctor." 

-* "EXAS don't _need_ targeters" eh? We'll see how well you can shoot if I turn that device off*- 

*do you really want her knowing all EXAS have targeters on all their ranged weapons, actually it'd be really funny to shoot w/out a targeter I'd prolly miss by yards everytime* 

-*the way you shoot gives the auto-aimers enough trouble _with_ a working targeter if you turned it off even the auto-aimer would miss*- 

*Hey! I don't like getting shot if I don't have too and I have room to move. You get to stay in a bunker and watch the whole time although you wouldn't be much help in a fight…except as cover* 

-*I appreciate the vote of confidence, I could always dial for reinforcements _and_ give you a wall to hide behind and your armour is more than good enough to keep you safe*- 

*smart computer* 

-*emotional human*- 

*Haahaahahahhhaha, oh we're gonna have to tell Jo that one*- 

____________ 

:ding, dong, ding: 

"Hey, their here Shinji" 

"Who?" 

^she has more people living here? Where am I going to stay, not here I guess : ), well, actually it's better here than on my own I guess.^ 

Looking for Misato, Shinji saw that she had walked to the door to greet whoever was at the door. 

Shinji decided to clear the table and began picking dishes off of the table. Throwing out the instant food packages and turning on the faucet to clean the few dishes that were dirty. 

Over the sound of running water, Shinji heard Misato talking to more than one person and giving them directions to move something, then the door closed again and the voices were gone. When the dishes were on the drying rack Shinji walked back to the living room to see several boxes that he recognized. 

"I didn't tell you it would be here so I could surprise you, seems that as a pilot you get priority to move your stuff to your new home." 

"thanks, do I have a place I can put these boxes though?" 

"You bet, first room on the right is your room, you can put them all there." 

After moving the few boxes that held all his worldly possessions to his room, Shinji opened and placed the clothes into the drawers. 

With his clothes away Shinji took a towel from one of the drawers and went to take a bath. 

"Misato, I'm going to take a bath. Ok?" 

"yeah, yeah just finish quick cuz I'm gonna need to use the porcelain phone in an hour or so." 

Misato had finished the last beer of the six-pack and was starting to feel the effects. 

Then again, this was the second package of six beers she had consumed and a dozen cans of beer would probably affect anyone to some degree. 

^…and she's supposed to make life or death decisions about the Evangelions…I hope she isn't always this drunk^ Shinji thought apprehensively. 

Moving on to the bathroom, Shinji turned the knob; or rather _tried_ to turn the knob. ^locked? That bird ran here……well, here goes something…or nothing^ 

"hey, pen-pen. Misato's drunk now so its safe, she's too drunk to tickle you to death now" 

^ hope this bird is as smart as I think he is.^ 

Pen-pen was actually waiting for the distinctive `thud' that occurred when the major slumped down onto her bed in a drunken stupor, she usually went to the kitchen sink when the bird was hiding in the bath. 

However, the boy was now just as good an indicator of the captain's state of sobriety. 

"Waark!" with towel wrapped around his torso the bird made a mad dash, well what goes for a dash amongst people with legs shorter than a decimetre, out of the room and made it to the safety of his refrigerator. 

^guess that bird isn't so stupid.^ 

Shinji turned on the taps and waited for the tub to fill. His mind flashed with the images of what he had seen over the last two days…the black clad man called Eagle who had `saved' him. 

Eagle had said he didn't like killing but, Shinji doubted it how could any person hate killing and still bring themselves to kill like…like it was as commonplace as eating or breathing. 

It just didn't make any sense…the angel, and the blast that the UN had used against it…. Captain Katsuragi, completely collected when he was piloting the Eva but, now drunk in the apartments common room… and the thing he had piloted; Eva-01 it was called, and he had to control it by thought... 

Shinji rubbed his shoulder, it didn't actually hurt now. 

He closed his eyes and felt imagined the bone crunching weight again on his shoulder, they had said it was `all in his head'; even if it was all in his head his body still remembered what it felt like. 

Now he was living with his commanding officer and it didn't look like it would be anytime soon till he went back home. 

The problem with this was that, it didn't really didn't bother Shinji. 

His life before had just been one dreary blur, he had nothing tying him back to his old home; no friends, no clubs, nothing. 

Not even his caretaker had much of an impression on him, he had just been paid by his father to keep Shinji away from his father and keep Shinji studying. ^…studying! Oh no, school…^ 

Sure enough, tomorrow was a school day and Shinji would have to meet new people. 

New people meant he had to be civil, and they would want to talk and ask questions and would want to be friends and. Shinji just gave up thinking about school and sank his head under the water one last time. 

*** 

After being submerged for quite a while, Shinji got up again gasping for air. 

*** 

(Gord):…damn, you didn't kill him 

(J_E): he has to grow like in the series, I can't have him die right off the bat, or in this case bath 

(Pat): I _hate_ bathes, you don't really get as clean as showering 

(J_E): it's a Japanese thing 

(Gord): Misato took a shower 

(J_E): she does in the manga so she does here as well 

(Gord): and the kid? Let me guess… they don't show skinny kids like Shinji taking showers but they'll show women. All in the name of fan-service and 

sales eh? 

(J_E): actually, that kinda explains why I haven't seen Shinji take either a shower or a bath in the manga by book 4… 

(Pat): that's nasty 

(Gord): yeah…heyy, maybe the LCL keeps him clean. I doubt it though; unless he used `blood-scented soap' before coming to Tokyo-3 so now he uses LCL. 

(J_E): ^….I smell blood…^ 

(Gord): hey buddy, you cut yourself there[pointing at JE] 

(J_E): [looking at the knife in one hand and the blood coming out slowly out of the other]…uh, hmm 

Finished bathing, Shinji climbed out of the warm soothing water to the cool air, dried himself off, drained the tub and got ready for bed. 

Pulling out an old SDAT player, one of the few possessions of his that wasn't clothing, from the top of his clothes drawers and shifting the track number to `25' Shinji climbed into bed to sleep. 

____________ 

"Well Blade, where are we going to move to?" 

-"The apartment blocks NERV offered to your extended stay group are limited to say the least. 

Not nearly enough E&E points in more than half, the rest aren't big enough to hold all of my components and quarter you and the support staff. 

As it stands there are only three locations that are remotely viable. 

One is in the city centre and would make an excellent location to move from to other areas. 

The second is an overglorifed warehouse so you could set up everything there and if I requisition a micro fusion plant we wouldn't have to worry about brownouts or blackouts. The third is more out of the way but it has direct access to the geofront, the rail lines and to the airport and since its relatively empty we could use adjoining units and link them internally."- 

"cut the walls eh? Not bad. So how's `my' shooting" 

-"reaction time is standard .005 s/90 degrees of change, the implants are working nominally. Your body's reaction is much slower but, so long as you keep the armour on and the implants aren't affected by an EMP, you won't have to worry. As for your actual combat abilities, I hope the last few months you've spent away from a simulator haven't made you soft"- 

"So what are you planning?" 

-"Civilian airplane assault"- 

^NOOOOOO^ 

"fine." 

There really was no point arguing, doing the job is more important than anything else. If he had to practice an assault on jumbo jet he would. 

"the rest of team 5 will be there right?" 

Being separated from the rest of your squad for non-combat duties makes you want to keep in touch. Most of team 5 was doing training of UN affiliated armed forces, in the south americas so they met once a month on their leave. 

-"Not often, you only have three training sessions where E-sat will allow for a transpacific satellite link. However the missions you will be doing will use each members actions for each simulation as a sub for the AI proxy"- 

"If the UN had more satellites we could do direct link training." ^the bureaucrats; want us to keep them safe when the shit hits the fan but, when we ask for funds to do it better they say `whoops got none'.^ 

-"that is not being debated. Also, Gendo Ikari on behalf of NERV has requested that the otherwise non-combat duty EXAS stationed at NERV assist in training of its personnel. 

Specifically, the pilots of the Evangelions; seems that the pilots need a crash course in close combat and low density combat"- 

"EXAS specialties, I..." ^what? Why would he get me to do this? He doesn't trust me, on the other hand I could have executed his son and leave him as a casualty of the saviors so he doesn't expect me to kill the pilots, on the other hand I _am_ UN so I can be trusted to help the UN any way I can.^ 

-"well?"- 

"why would he get me to do this, I mean he _has_ to have trainers at NERV, doesn't he? How was Rei trained then?" 

-"Still unknown, but I doubt NERV would have anyone qualified to train a boy to fight; especially the boy. Most of NERV's paramilitaries are retired Self Defense Force or former militia from the 2nd impact wars, they don't need training. 

The pilots don't need a grizzled old man teaching them how to fight. 

They need people who train normal sub-standard trained troops who want to get better, EXAS does this…it will look good for EXAS to the UN if all Evangelion pilots use EXAS training to `save the world' "- 

"Ok then, Ikari gets what he wants but only if EXAS gets what they want" 

-"doubtful at best, impossible at worst. Ikari doesn't want you finding a chink in an Eva's armour but he wants to squeeze EXAS of their combat training."- 

"Fine, if he wants to play that way. My job isn't combat, it's observation…how will Gendo get me to train the pilots I wish I knew" 

-"commander Ikari has a limited dossier, either he has others do his work or he has a good way to keep a clean slate."- 

How Gendo Ikari was going to forcibly convince the UN Security Council that EXAS should train Eva pilots was beyond both Eagle and Blade. Eagle saw himself as safe, he was doing this mission as a down-time from a previous combat mission and NERV could always hire their own trainers if they really wanted one. 

Still concerned Eagle reloaded his weapon, holstered it and made his way out of the winding passageways and massive rooms that made up NERV to his car and left the geofront. 

_________________ 

The light of morning filtering in through the window and onto the sleeper's face began the annoying process of waking up. 

^an other unfamiliar ceiling….guess I better get up, wonder if Miss Ka-, I mean if Misato is up.^ 

Light, sound and being awake is the last thing a person who drank a dozen cans of beer needs the next morning. 

Unfortunately, Misato had all three occur around the same time Shinji got out of his room and started making breakfast. 

With squinting eyes and wobbling legs, Misato walked out of her room and made her way to the kitchen. 

"oh sorry Misato, did I wake you up? Do you want breakfast?" 

Stomach turning over itself Misato very quickly realized how hungry she was. Her answer to Shinji was slower. 

"…yeah…" shading her squinted and sleep deprived eyes, she took in the room; Shinji was cooking rice…and he looked like he knew what he was doing. "…what are you making for breakfast anyway?" 

"rice, the only thing I could find is soy sauce" ^…and four kinds of hot sauce, who needs so many….^ Recalling the fridge full of beer, Shinji had his own question answered. 

"'kay then, save me some. I'm gonna take a shower." Walking back to the apartment's tiny laundry room Misato grabbed a towel and went to take a shower. 

__________________ 

[rage against the machine - "born of a broken man" Battle for Los Angles 

Legs burning and lungs heaving, Eagle made his way back to the tiny closet sized apartment he had been staying ever since he had arrived in Japan nearly a month ago. 

Bigger quarters could be arranged for but, until Eagle could be assured of his safety he preferred a small as possible place to stay. Many people who had stayed as a `guests' of NERV, and were more than token observers, were liquidated on a regular basis; ground-up observers can no longer report to their superiors. Eagle preferred to stay alive in cramped conditions than dead in the lap of luxury. 

"Well Blade, how am I doing so far?" 

-"5 minutes till the lactic acid drops to 500 ppm, you are improving from last time, is the replaced tissue still aggravating you?"- 

"the tendons or the muscle itself?" 

-"either"- 

"Not sure, it comes and it goes, sometimes it feels like its not there and when I finally put my foot down my whole body feels it. Why is this replacement taking so much time to get used to? I've never had this much problem before." 

-"psychological, amount of tissue replaced, age. It could be anything or nothing. Just focus on running and walking instead of the pain, if it is just the feeling of the tissue missing we both know its alright for now; but, if the you start feeling pain. We'll start with antibiotics and we might even have to excise the tissue and replace it again."- 

"cut it out? I can't go to NERV to get that done…the med-tech that's coming right?" 

-"Correct. As for the day's schedule; the 3rd child is going to school today, it will be interesting if the saviors attack when you aren't near the pilot, once he reaches school commander Ikari will want to discuss your training of the pilots."- 

"he won't give up will he" 

-"and unless EXAS gets what it wants you will not"- 

"correct" 

Peeling off the sweat drenched clothes, Eagle walked into the shower to clean himself off. 

___________ 

"Has he responded yet? commander" 

Gendo Ikari merely looked into his office from his desk at the massive diagrams covering the floor of his imposingly empty office. Those same images were mirrored on the ceiling; both diagram were drawn in white on pure black. Gendo had stared many hours at these images, unrecognizable to most, the size they took up was impressive to most who entered the office the commander of NERV. 

^we have gone nowhere, compared to those who attack…and their presumptuousness will be their downfall, they never thought that any could make copies…^ 

"No sensei. He has not, he will however do as he is asked." 

The enmity between NERV and EXAS seemed to make the statement a near boast to sub-commander Fuyutsuki. How NERV was going to make one of EXAS soldiers work for NERV was an interesting question. 

^what have you planned Gendo?^ 

______________ 

"See you later Shinji! Hope your first day goes well" 

"okay" 

Closing the door behind him, Shinji walked down the hallway to the elevator and descended to ground level. 

_________ 

"third child sighted, team Alpha; loose formation, wonder if he'll notice us. That other kid, she always knows where we are" ^gives me the fucking creeps too, how could she tell where we are al the time^ 

Spine shuddering as he remembered the last time the other Evangelion pilot looked at him when he was on guard duty. No kid has eyes like that, hell she could be a punk fanatic for all he knew; the red contacts and blue hair would have convinced sergeant Akitaka of that, but she was so quiet that he dismissed any possible rebellion in the 1st child. 

Positioning himself on the back right flank, Akitaka watched the other members of NERV security force team alpha position themselves through the growing morning crowds and keep pace on Shinji Ikari. A few possible malcontents were roughed up by the two front wings and carted into an alley till the boy passed. 

Once the possible danger to their charge had passed the NSF members allowed the, usually ranting about a lawsuit or some such nonsense, civilians back to the streets to continue on their way; preferably away from the pilot. 

As more people began to fill the sidewalks, the agents had more people to scan; eventually they moved in as close as possible to their charge to minimize any risk. Fortunately for them Shinji Ikari was to concerned in finding his way to school to notice the oversized, suited, men keeping pace with him and effectively cleaving a way through the crowds for him. 

______________ 

[ FLCL (Furi Kuri) OST 1 The pillows (duh!) - "Stalker"] 

*those bloody fools! They're just screaming for an attack to occur* 

-*and how would you exploit this*- 

*45 the four front wings, hit the back with the 9mm when they see the front fall ^and won't have room to turn back properly : )^, break my fall with the jump pack, hit the sidewalk and run with the kid to the subway they passed ten metres back; how much time would that take?* 

-*drop and the front guards to down; 15 seconds. The back guards won't be able to turn from the civilians shoving behind them; 5 seconds more to hit them. 10 seconds to subdue the boy if he struggles, 4 if he doesn't and 10 more seconds to finish the guards who might have survived. Finally 20 seconds to get to the subway or 5 if the car was patrolling right beside the pilots and his guards. Total maximum time about a minute, unless the retros on the jump pack fail or they get the drop on you. Then you're just as bad as they could be. NERV is either sloppy, and that fact will get these pilots killed, or they have an ace up the sleeve, which we will have to find*- 

*thanks for the vote of confidence on the jump packs, and to think you walked me through the clean of them this morning* 

-*you aren't a tech rated to repair EXAS back harness flight packages properly, so a failure is possible*- 

*fine then, they're moving still* 

Pulling away from the edge of the building, and the street below, Eagle ran to the edge and jumped. Legs tucked in and jump pack giving full output, he _just_ cleared the raised edge of the next building and hit the ground running. 

Stopping at midway the length of the front of the building, Eagle looked over the edge to see the group continue their way through he crowds. 

Making their way to the school without mishap, the NSF agents dispersed outside the school and waited until their replacements showed up in four hours. 

Shinji, not noticing any of the NERV security forces agents, walked to the squat concrete building and pulling out a slip of paper with his room number. 

^…2-A, here it is; not many classrooms at this school. Only children of Nerv employees I guess...^ 

___________ 

"class, this is our new transfer student; Shinji Ikari. Sit in any empty seat you can find Shinji." 

"yes sensei" 

Bowing slightly to the wizened teacher, Shinji took a seat in the class as the teacher continued his diatribe on humanity's ability to conquer all odds. 

"…the second impact caused massive upheavals everywhere in the world, the melting of the Antarctic icecap resulted in a 15 foot increase in ocean levels. Coastal cities the world over, were flooded and in the resulting confusion nations declared war on each other. 

China attempted a massive assault on Taiwan but, had to pull back when the Russians had reduced any possible resistance to radioactive holes and at great cost they stopped the Russians from taking all China. 

To this day the Russo-Sino border has constantly been shifting and is a cause for concern. 

The Americans, still wanting to keep their place as the worlds' superpower launched any flood threatened nuclear missiles at any and all possible targets. 

China and Japan from their west coast silos and at the middle eastern states who had caused problems in the past from the few Eastern silos that exist there. Iraq is nothing more than a nuclear wasteland, Israeli zealots now have free reign over the now cowed Arab nations. 

As for the Indo-Pakistani `conflict' that occurred, it will be millennia till the background radiation fades to levels where humans can survive without a radiation suit. 

Nearly half of the world's population died in the second impact wars. Some say that it is a sign of humanity's right that we have been able to overcome all these difficulties and supercede the previous generation's technology and abilities. 

The truth…" The teacher paused to catch any students who were dozing off "…Mr. Suzuhara!" 

"huh?" Unfortunately, for `Mr. Suzuhara', he had been dozing. 

"why have we, the survivors of the second impact, been able to supercede those who came before?" 

^wha? What kinda question is that?^ 

"um, well, ah. The reason is because , well, the hard work that the survivors did to restore the world" 

"very good, pay attention next time. As Mr. Suzuhara stated, the reason that you students don't have to worry about the second impact wars or their aftereffects is because your parents and their parents worked very hard to rebuild industries and commerce. In addition…" 

The continued droning of the teacher was ignored. All he ever talked about was second impact and how it had affected the world, more specific him. 

Taking his cues from the rest of the class, Shinji looked away from the teacher and looked around the class; no one who he knew but, that was expected he was the new kid after all. 

Looking back at his laptop Shinji saw that he had received a message on the school's internal messaging program. 

Opening it he read 

hey new kid, are you the pilot of that big robot we all saw the other day? 

Shinji was puzzled ^who sent this?^ Deciding to test the waters rather than answer outright Shinji replied. 

Who wants to know, and why? 

The response didn't veer from the previous message's course. 

Just answer, are you or not? 

^why do they want to know, isn't this stuff top secret or something?^ 

I don't think I can answer 

Whoa, you are aren't you? 

I didn't say that 

^why won't they just stop asking? How did they guess anyway?^ 

Then what _did_ you say then mr. 'its classified' you ARE the pilot aren't you? 

What make you think I _am _ driving one of those Evas anyway? 

Evas eh? Yup you're a pilot, besides you're the first person to transfer here everyone else is jetting outta here 

Groaning, Shinji held his face in his hands. When he looked up he noticed that most of the class was around his desk asking questions. 

"…-hat the robot called?" 

"what was that monster you were fighting? Where did it come from?" 

"uh…" 

"the robot is called an Evangelion and the monster was an angel. " 

"…how did they pick you?…" 

"what kind of weapons do the robots have? Does it have a special attack?" 

"I don't know how, they just called me" 

^how did father know I could pilot?^ 

"special attack? Uhm, not that I know, I don't think so…" 

"Sit Down!" 

Looking down the students shuffled to their seats. 

"Thank you class representative Horaki" 

Bowing solemnly to the teacher, the class rep sat back in her seat ^that new kid, why did he have to gather so much attention to himself the first day he shows up…^ 

When the class had settled down the teacher continued his `discussion' on the 2nd impact, few in the class cared and fewer still listened. 

Eventually morning became noon and the class broke for lunch 

__________________ 

*Well here it is, commander Ikari's office, how do I get in though?* 

-*knock*- 

^….^ 

*whatever, here goes nothing* 

Standing in front of the oversized double doors Eagle raised a hand and rapped twice on the door. 

It opened and Eagle walked in, it was very dark; darkness is an unknown and the unknown causes fear. 

*all on!* 

-*it's clean, just the commander and sub-commander; if he's going to kill, it isn't now*- 

*not if your recording he won't, tell me if you start losing your signal* 

-*done*- 

"hello commander." Saluting and standing at attention Eagle waited for the other side to act. 

"At ease….Eagle." Not having a real military rank was an annoyance for those who weren't on a first name basis with an EXAS. 

Relaxing and placing his hands behind his back, Eagle waited for the next move. 

"Please approach the table." 

"Yes sir." Eagle walked across the floor to the desk at the end of the room and stopped a meter from the front of the desk. 

"Have you received your orders concerning your extended stay in Tokyo-3?" Gendo knew full well that Eagle had, the question was did Eagle know that Gendo knew? 

"No, someone intercepted my dispatch. All I know is that I am to stay indefinitely in Tokyo-3." 

^Now what Ikari?^ 

Eagle was leering like a madman, on the inside; good thing his outward expression was calmer than that of an Easter Island statue. 

"What are your orders regarding your extended stay?" 

Gendo was almost regretting opening the package, it had given Eagle an excuse to remove order papers that he didn't want to follow. 

"To continue observing NERV's use of its Evangelions and accompany them on assignment…" Almost as an afterthought Eagle finished his reply "…if allowed." 

"You were also requested to train the Evangelion pilots who NERV assigns to you. Here is a copy of your order, I received a copy this morning." 

Pulling the document folder out of his desk drawer he slid it across the desk, Eagle took the folder and leafed through it. 

"Yes, these seem to be the missing documents, a twenty page gap is a bit hard to miss you know." Eagle leafed through the papers while he planned his next move. 

^snide little bastard. You knew I would chuck `em and say it was pilfered when the envelope was opened, or at least guessed I might do as much^ 

Gendo Ikari, was thinking about bastards as well but, about a different person being a bastard. However to lose his cool would be terrible as it would make him lose face. 

-*too bad*- 

*yea* 

"These seem to be in order, when can I expect to be training Shinji exactly?" 

"This evening, the MAGI will send your…assistant the time schedule you have to train the third child." 

Eagle was glad that Blade wasn't considered just a computer, a MOSAIC could never compare to the sheer number of data a single MAGI could compute but, then again MOSAICs weren't used to run entire cities or sprawling underground fortresses. 

NERV needed three of Dr. Naoko Akagi's MAGI pattern computers to run Tokyo-3, safeguard the entire Geofront from electronic infiltration, monitor the Evangelions while in or out of combat and make judgement on the success of its human owners plans. 

Each EXAS only had one MOSAIC but they were more than sufficient to fill out the day to day paperwork an EXAS always needed to fill out as well as general forays onto `denied' computer systems. EXAS could be quiet if all else failed but, no cameras tracking one lets one move with great freedom. 

The increasing power of computers in the last decade had helped make human, and especially all EXAS, superb killers, however if the human itself couldn't fight on their own no number of super computers could make a difference. 

"and the other pilot; Rei, when will she be able to begin training?" ^might as well find out how badly she was hurt…and who trained her^ 

"The first child's needs are none of your concern." 

^Oho, what's this. I don't fucking think so commander^ 

-*what now?*- 

*logic* 

"Commander, please be reasonable. Unless you intend to send the Evangelions piecemeal, and let them get destroyed in the process, all the pilots should train to fight as a team. Training them together will make this much easier. In the last battle they barely worked together; and now you have two badly damaged Evangelions, one pilot in the hospital and a second pilot who is potentially unstable" 

-*Shinji isn't dangerously unstable, you know*- 

*I'm bluffing, besides he could be _made_ more unstable you know* 

"Very well Eagle, you have one month to improve the pilot's skills. You can train Rei when she is recuperated as well. If there is no improvement, you will train only Shinji." 

^What is wrong with him? Why can't I train Rei?… What is he hiding?^ 

"thank you commander, about my accompanying the Evangelions on their training missions?" 

"Request denied. I cannot be held responsible if you are injured in combat" 

^hmmm. How noble, fine then^ 

"and if I accept the possible risks as part of doing my job; training the pilots" 

Eagle had Gendo Ikari in a possible corner. 

If Gendo said `yes' it would set a precedent for Eagle to `observe' combat between and angels and the Evangelions, which would allow EXAS first hand knowledge of the Evangelions strengths and weaknesses. 

If Gendo said `no' Eagle could say that he wouldn't be able to train the pilots properly and would probably forget to mention something that could be crucial during their training, and would get them killed. 

"On a situation by situation basis only and 

only if the highest ranking officer at NERV at the time allows it ." 

*bastard*/ -*one minded fool*- 

*now what?* 

-*we have to accept, `half a loaf is better -*- 

* -than none at all'. Still, it lets him give us the shaft* 

Now Eagle was cornered; in verbal duel, just like in physicals one, tables are turned over very little. 

"Very well, your lack of co-operation will be noted to the Security Council. As for the training of the pilots, I will make their program myself." 

This achieved little to change the overall outcome, however if Eagle whined to his superiors NERV could lose funding, if Eagle decided how to train the pilots he could hamstring them so that they weren't quite as effective as they could be. 

All that resulted was that both sides got more of what they wanted but neither gave in a spirit of goodwill so they were still at a stalemate. 

"If you would excuse me commander, I still have reports to write." 

-*liar*- 

*it gets me outta here, you find what the stuff on his floor and ceiling are? It seems familiar like a map, but its been a while since people made maps like that* 

"Very well Eagle, you may leave" 

"Thank you commander." 

Making an about-face, Eagle walked out of the room and pulled the door shut behind him. 

__________________ 

"Well then professor, did the recorder work?" 

"Perfectly. Listen for yourself." Pulling an oblong black rectangular plastic object from his jacket, professor Fuyutsuki placed the recording device on the table and hit the `play' button. 

The next sounds heard in the room were faint at first, then it became clear. 

"all on!" 

"it's clean, just the commander and sub-commander; if he's going to kill it isn't now" 

"not if your recording he won't, tell me if you start losing your signal" 

"done" 

Gendo pressed the `pause' button and looked at his best advisor, a tiny smirk affected their normally calm faces before subsiding, they know were able to record what the EXAS and the MOSAIC said to one an other. Since both the commander and sub-commander knew more languages than Japanese, they wouldn't have to bring a translator into their fold. 

Now the EXAS would harbor no secrets from NERV. 

____________ 

:PHAAT: 

Shinji never saw it coming, it had hit him square in the jaw and the force had driven him flat on his back. 

"Get up pilot" 

Standing with his back to the sun the figure was completely obscured to Shinji. ^who is this guy?^ 

Was the only question Shinji's aching skull could formulate. 

"I _SAID_ get up!" 

The figure realized Shinji wasn't about to get up. 

^what a wimp, I hit `im once and he jus' keels over, I thought you hadda be a tough guy to pilot; guess not^ 

So Shinji was grabbed by the shoulder and hoisted to his feet. 

Shinji acquiesced to the force and stood on his feet. 

The increasing pain forced him to lower his jaw and shift it around to find a more comfortable way for it to sit on his face; he had no such luck, it would just take time for the numbing pain to eventually go away. 

"ya jus' gonna stand 'der `pilot'?" 

Shinji looked up at his assailant. "what do you want…Suzuhara?" 

"You were piloting the other day, right?" 

"yes" Shinji didn't like where this was going, he hadn't exactly enjoyed piloting and now some stranger was going to bug him about it, it just wasn't fair for other to judge like that. 

"You fucked up when you were piloting…" 

Shinji wondered how the boy knew he had lost consciousness. 

"…and when you started falling all over the place you hit some buildings…" 

"I know, I tripped" 

"…YOU TRIPPED? You hit a building, My SISTER was in that building and she was pinned under rubble because you TRIPPED" 

"oh. I'm sorry, I" ^…thought I was going to die, for the second time that day too…^ 

"Well `sorry' isn't gonna cut it…pilot" 

"what will?" 

Shinji was getting tired of this, hell he didn't really want to pilot in the first place, he had just said yes to a convincing argument and was shanghaied into the machine as a result. Now some schoolyard bully wanted to fight him about it. 

Shinji remained silent so Touji replied, both verbally and physically. 

"You are so annoying!" Shinji took the shot to the face and hit the ground again. 

Something was shaking Shinji's shoulder. 

Shinji couldn't tell who it was since his eyes were closed. ^what is it now?^ 

"I'm sorry about Touji over there, his sister got hurt from the last battle and he thinks you're to blame. He's really a nice guy, ^when he's not beating people up that is…^ but he just wants to even the score I guess." 

"Uh, ok then. Thanks uh…" 

"Kensuke, Kensuke Aida. And your Shinji Ikari, Evangelion pilot." 

"thanks Aida, so why are you helping me? I thought that you were his friend" 

Shinji looked at the boy but it hurt too much to open both eyes all the way, Shinji settled for his right eye open all the way and his left…his left he allowed to remain closed; that and it hurt to much to keep open. 

^ 

"Sure I'm Touji's friend but that doesn't mean I have to not help who ever he lost his temper at. Besides you're an Eva pilot." 

"so…?" 

"don't you know how big Evas are in Tokyo-3?" 

Shinji wasn't sure where this line of conversation was going. why did this kid want to help him just because he was an Eva pilot? Some other …people had wanted him because he was going to meet his father. 

"Uh look…Aida, thanks for the help but I have to get going I promised I'd be home early" 

Kensuke accepted the statement as fact but since Shinji had his head down as he picked his bag off the ground he didn't realize Shinji had been blushing during his lie. 

Aida waved at Shinji as the pilot pounded the sidewalk home. 

^why did I lie to him, he just wanted to help me?^ Shinji had no real reason to leave so suddenly, just a little dread that had been planted ever since he had arrived in Tokyo-3 and seen those people killed. 

He hoped nothing happened that Aida guy because of the Evas. 

_______________ 

"so why'd ya help that wimp?" 

Touji looked at his friend going though his bag and pulling out a minidisk camera and do what ever it was that allowed the glasses wearing boy to tape his life's highlights. 

"Duh! He's an Eva pilot. Why did you hit him anyway? He was just doing his job when he piloted… He doesn't' strike me as a mecha pilot though…" 

"..huh?.." 

"geez why do you always play dumb anyway?' 

The larger boy glared at the smaller one, it was all it took to cow Kensuke. 

"…anyway its not like he loves piloting, you see how he was in class?" 

Touji had not really seen Shinji stammering out answers so he had no clue what Kensuke was blathering about. 

"no…" 

"he barely knew how the Evas worked? I bet that was his first fighting he didn't even know about the Eva's energy weapons or their heavy weapons or all the close combat gear they have or…" 

"Isn't that kinda stuff top-secret and hush-hush ?" 

"…uh yeah, but I know tons of stuff about the Evas its all on their systems" 

Kensuke was puffing his chest in pride of his knowledge gathering skills. 

Touji was a little more practical. 

"isn't that dangerous, this is NERV they're kinda like…THE ARMY here they're not some small company you can transfer funds from to get new computer stuff." 

Kensuke's eyes widened and his eyes swept around the school yard ^wwheew…no one in sight…they wouldn't be in sight!^ 

"uh, Touji" 

"what is it?" 

"can you never speak about this in public…pleease? I promised my dad I wouldn't crack anymore accounts when he saw all the stuff I bought from last time. I don't want word that I've been hacking into NERV leaking out" 

Touji was looking at Kensuke as if he had eyes on stalks sprouting from his head. 

"what _are_ you doing?" 

"Shhh! Do like I am!" 

"WHY?" 

"so no one can read your lips!" 

"uh…ok" 

Touji raised his left hand to his chin and partially placed it around his mouth, obscuring it from view but, still allowing him to be heard. 

"I feel like an idiot, how long are we gonna pretend we're rubbing our beards?" 

"you can take your hand off your face if you don't talk" 

"well that's good then" 

Lowering his hand and walking off, Touji was soon followed by the running camera wielding boy. 

________________ 

Shinji stopped running when he turned around the corner and walked the rest of the way to the apartment he shared with his superior. 

^Why does everyone know I'm an Eva pilot anyway?…and that kid with the glasses...Kensuke...Aida. How did he know so much about the Evangelions? That means what happened the first day could happen again.^ 

Shinji shuddered and kept his head down to not attract anymore attention as he continued on his way home. 

Shinji didn't attract anymore attention that he was already. 

The NERV section-2 agents had spread themselves on both sides of the street and were both well ahead and well behind their charge, they were all keeping one eye on their charge and ensuring that they were the only ones who were interested in the boy. 

Other than the agents, no one expressed any significant interest in the boy, when he entered his apartment block they spread out and waited till the replacement shift of agents showed up in a few hours. 

__________________ 

^I guess school's are the same everywhere.^ 

Shinji reflected on his first day, walked to the trio of elevators that serviced the residents of his apartment and entering the available elevator pressed the button of his floor. 

^...wonder if that kid in the black sports jacket will try slugging me again, what was his name again?...I think he's friends with Aida, I'll get his name tomorrow.^ 

Shinji made his way away from the elevator to his apartment, unlocked the door and walked in. 

"I'm home" 

Silence. 

"Hello? Miss Kat-, I mean Misato, are you there?" 

Shinji walked in to see the third being who lived in the apartment sitting on the couch and inebriating himself and watching television. 

"Waark!" 

Raising the can in greeting, the waterfowl went back to his program. 

Shinji looked at the screen and saw local coverage of the last `angel' incident. 

Shinji watched some more and saw that none of the actual combat that had occurred was aired but, status reports by NERV public office were available to the public by the truckload. 

Shinji didn't really care, or know about, the façade that NERV was putting up for the public by limiting public view of the actual battles and glutting the media with inane technobabble or the righteousness of its cause 

"Uh, hi pen-pen. Do you know where Misato is?" 

"Waaark!" 

Pen-pen raised his empty wing and pointed at the fridge. 

Shinji walked to the appliance and saw a note taped to it. 

-I'm gonna work late tonight Shinji, there's food in kitchen so make yourself dinner when ever you want.- 

Taking the note off Shinji opened the door to the refrigerator and saw the token condiments and cache of beer had not been replaced with any real food. 

^looks like instant ramen again…^ 

Shinji though in mild bemusement as he pulled a container out of the cupboard, opened it, placed the required amount of water and proceeded to heat the extremely convenient yet remarkably un-nourishing food. 

:riIIIINg: 

Shinji looked away from the timer to find where the telephone was. 

:riIIIINg: 

^great where is it?^ 

:riIIIINg: 

"waAARK!" 

:riIIIINg: 

Waving his flippers in the air to attract attention pen-pen caught Shinji's gaze. 

:RIIIIING: 

Shinji didn't have time to play with some weird bird his guardian kept as a pet. 

"not now pen-pen." 

:RIIIIING: 

^wait that was _really_ loud, it's close, he brought it^ 

"Oh thanks pen-pen." 

Walking to the penguin and taking the proffered mobile telephone and pressed the `receive' button. 

"Hello? Katsuragi residence…" 

"Hey there pilot" 

"who is this?" 

*** 

(Pat): `your worst nightmare' 

(Gord): `Skinji, I'm gonna beat you till you grow a spine' 

(J_E): uh, _no_. 

(Gord): and why not? 

(J_E): let _me_ deal with the wimp [carrying a black plastic suitcase and grin] 

(Pat): not again, last time it took you two hours till you could get onto the water to dump the cinder blocks and netting. 

(J_E): not this time, besides it's a fic so I can use a sink food disposal unit to get rid of the soft bits and a hammer to make the bones fit down the garbage chute. 

(Gord): is there something I'm not getting? 

(Pat): nooo… 

(J_E): well…you know that shirt I've had for a few years now? The one about not pissing me off? 

(Gord): [grinning and nodding] you don't have to worry where they go do you? 

(J_E): uh…yeeaah... 

(Gord): so you gonna kill Shinji then? 

(J_E): just watch you'll like the fic ^Nooo. He's an original char so I just can't go picking them off for the hell of it, then again main characters _can_ die^ 

**** 

(Crow): what a stupid Mst 

(Servo Joe): I'll say 

(Mike): I think I'll order form the non-meat section of the menu from now on. Good thing you guys don't have to eat 

(Servo Joe): well there was that one time I had a mass-energy converter as my power source and well…had to be removed 

(Crow): and me well I try to live up to my namesake, cause I still have a mass-energy converter. 

(Mike): [green in the face] Boy thanks guys for unnecessary info. [empties his stomach via his mouth on the floor] 

*** 

*** 

"you don't recognize me? Uh, just wait a bit…" 

Shinji waited as the person on the other line talked to someone then started talking again. 

"sorry about that kid, seems that the sound was coming out odd in this phone" 

^oh, the guy with the black armour…what does he want with Misato?^ 

"uh it, it's ok" ^…I guess^ 

"so you eat dinner yet?" 

^what?…oh yeah the translator, its not really that good^ 

"no I just started to make some rice noodles for myself" 

"what kind? Is the captain there?" 

"No she left a note saying she's on the night shift, and it's just some instant stuff… its called…`joyous rice patty'" 

"oh, ok then. How long till you can leave for NERV?" 

"I just need to eat and work on some printouts…a couple of hours I guess" 

^why is he calling? I thought he wasn't part of NERV… but he works for the UN or something, doesn't he?^ 

"tell you what, do your homework now and then you can come here to NERV to eat. 

Man can't live on bread, or ramen, alone you know. Once you're done eating we can train" 

"uh, ok then" 

^I'm kinda hungry now though…well I'll just eat one cup then^ 

"fine I'll send have blade pick you up in an hour and a half, till then Shinji." 

:`Click'…doooooooo: 

Shinji hung up the phone and waited for the count to finish on the auto oven before taking the steaming hot cup of soup out and pulling out the small pile of paper that consisted of his after school assignments. 

^(9x+7) (x-2)….=9x^2-18x+7x-14 

=9x^2-9x-14…boy this is pretty easy how many more?^ 

Leafing through the sheaf Shinji counted the number of assigned questions and smiled faintly. 

He was now partially glad that his father had hired such demanding tutors for his education. 

School was going to be fairly simple if these were the hardest questions yet assigned. 

_____________________ 

^…well then, [deep breath] here I am. Commander Ikari's office, what does he want this time? I handed in the reports in already and the last one isn't due for two more days.^ 

With a second deep breath Captain Katsuragi walked to the double doors and pushed one open. 

^why is this place so long? Just to freak everyone who visits I guess…and to fit that map on the floor…and ceiling^ 

Making her way across the room to the front of the only prominent piece of furniture; a massive granite topped desk. 

"You wanted to see me commander?" 

"Yes. It is about the report on the transport of the third child to NERV. I appreciate your discretion in the report, if the reports are inspected later it would be unseemly for the guards of the city to have been planting corn on an allies mount" 

^corn?…planting corn?…you plant the top part of corn to make more corn, kernels? No… cob? No…mount? Horse…transport oh! The locator in Eagle's car oh an ear or corn…^ 

"That is not the only thing that the writer of the paper decided was not worth mentioning commander" 

"what else was forgotten?" 

"the ally attacked one of the gaurds of the pilot" 

"the writer was wise in not mentioning this, it could be held against the ally at a later point in time, it also ensures that the ally is indebted to us" 

"the guard and writer thank you for agreeing with them, the writer was shocked at the ease that the ally attacked with very little provocation" 

"and did the writer note what provoked that ally" 

"yes. The ally dislikes being deemed inhuman, especially by those who are not members of the oldest art" 

"and of the second oldest art?" 

Misato blanched at the implications. ^don'tsayanthingstupid, don'tsayanthingstupid, don'tsayanthingstupid, don'tsayanthingstupid^ 

"I do not know." That much was true she had no idea about the EXAS' background…then again it would have been deleted once Eagle joined EXAS' ranks. 

"The ally speaks as little as possible, it is hard to discern what he believes in; yet." 

"very well, you may return to your duties, the ally will be starting training of one of the pilots this evening, the writer and the guard should watch and report as soon as possible." 

"thank you" 

Turing away from the commander and making her way out of the room was the first thing Misato Katsuragi did. 

After closing the door behind her Misato leaned against the wall opposite the door and sighed. 

This constant speaking in roundabout ways helped kept the secrets of NERV secret but, it was a drain when both sides spoke in riddles Misato thought. 

^great, now I have to spy on whatever training Eagle is going to do. He-ey, why don't I ask if I can observe? 

I mean he `observes' how we use the Evangelions so why can't I watch how he trains the pilots. 

I guess it's gonna be Shinji since he's the only one here who _can_ train…what the hell happened in that last fight? 

It didn't even fight Eva-00 at first, then it mauls it so badly that we can't even get in contact with its computer…^ 

________________ 

^well that wasn't too hard, except for those haiku's…I really don't see why people would write so much about rain or trees or the ocean they must have been really bored^ 

Shinji looked at the clock on the wall. 

^I better get going…do I have to bring anything? Maybe I should call…^ 

Shinji walked over to the phone and picked up the receiver and… 

^…I don't even know the phone number for this apartment or Eagle's number. I'll just wait downstairs I guess.^ 

_________________ 

:Riiiing: 

….. 

:Riiiing: 

….. 

:Riiiing: 

….. 

:Riiiing: 

….. 

:Riiiing: 

….. 

:Riiiing: 

Silence pervaded the Katsuragi residence as whoever had tried calling gave up. 

Pen-pen looked anxiously at the now annoying machine that had drawn him from the relaxing metal cave that was his home. 

:WAAARK?!: 

Waddling back to his `room', the avian decided instead to grab a can of beer from the fridge and watch the television; the apartment wold be empty for quite a while and as such he could watch television in peace. 

______________ 

-"Eagle? Do you copy?"- 

"y-s, where a-r yo- -rodcas-ing -rom?" 

-"From home, I am not packed away yet. Pilot Ikari should be on his way soon, I tried calling but no one picked up and the- never mind he is exiting the building"- 

"Remember, legal driving Blade. The kid freaked out enough last time, he's gonna go gray before I do if he keeps fainting like that." 

-"Very well. He's approaching the car, the guards are moving again around him; they could be less obvious. The boy is ignoring them or is oblivious; either is good enough."- 

"'kay then, I have stuff to prep over here. Eagle out." 

-"I copy, over and out"- 

________________ 

^I guess that's the car, pretty big too. It's no even Japanese, the wheel was in the wrong place and it's so big and…^ 

Shinji walked to the gleaming black car and waited apprehensively. 

The passenger side door `clicked', Shinji opened the unlocked door and saw …an empty car. 

"Uh hello?" 

-" please get in Shinji"- 

"Who is that?" 

-"Blade, Eagle's assistant. I'll take you to NERV"- 

"_Where_ are you?" 

-"controlling the car, are you going to enter or do you wish to walk?"- 

"…." ^???^ 

-"just get in Shinji"- 

"Ok" 

Shinji sat down and pulled the door closed. 

As engine started up and roared to life the chassis reverberated and the whole machine left a cloud of dust and blown away debris. 

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh!" ^WHATTHEHELL!???!!^ 

-"I recommend putting on your seatbelt….NOW!"- 

The last command snapped Shinji to action and he pulled the metal tongue and jammed it into clasp at his waist. 

The car dropped its speed, barely, and swerved right. 

Shinji felt his body trying to go forward while the car turned, if he hadn't pulled the belt on he…he'd rather not think about what would happen if he didn't have the belt on. 

-"just stay in the seat and you will be alright"- 

The car was soon picking up speed again and turned at the next onramp headed to NERV. 

^WHYARETHEYDRIVINGSOFAST??^ 

"uh, hello?" 

-"Yes?!"- 

"can you drive slower?" 

-"do you want me to adjust my speed?"- 

"i-i-i-it's j-j-j-just th-th-tha-that th-th-this-this…" 

-"I'm a still at a legal speed, very well then"- 

The speed slowly dropped and Shinji breathed a lot easier. 

-"this is preferable?"- 

"yeah, ^uh^ Blade" 

-"your welcome Shinji"- 

"so where is NERV?" 

-"In a geofront"- 

"All of NERV?" 

-"Yes the city keeps it hidden from the outside and the hydroponics farms underground help feed the city."- 

"oh, ok then. I was asleep last time I came here" 

-"yes you took a blow to the head during the N^2 strike but, you were merely unconscious. You were very lucky that your seatbelt reduced the damage"- 

"oh. How long till we get there?" 

"at this speed, an other twenty minutes" 

"oh." 

____________ 

^well there's the car^ 

Eagle wasn't the only person who watched the black vehicle enter NERV and make its way to one of the headquarters. 

However the others who watched kept their anonymity via technology and as such could not be seen. 

*how did you drive?* 

-*too fast I expect, the boy paled*- 

*I told you to stay at a _legal_ speed* 

-*technically I _was_ at a legal speed, it is an EXAS vehicle*- 

*fine then stay at _posted_ speeds under _normal_ circumstances then* 

Blade didn't respond and recorded the order for reference later, reducing travel time wasn't the only reason Blade had pushed the car so fast. 

Blade's job included monitoring how Eagle reacted to legal infractions, beneficial to Eagle or not. 

-*what were you doing while I was transporting the supposed pilot?*- 

The question was open, not snide, not patronizing; just a friend concerned as to what the other was doing in their absence. 

*Went the NERV armoury and grabbed some things for later. and we've got more security clearance since NERV is paying me for my job, no more skulking for openings eh? * 

-*how much is the pay? Even if it is a pittance the work will keep you occupied*- 

*uh not sure about the pay I'm paid as part of `security', like I need more work I hardly get a nights sleep and you want me to take subliminals too* 

-*how am I supposed to do my job if you don't do yours? I want to look at the employment forms before you sign…*- 

*relax ok, when you get here I can just feed the papers into the scanner* ^why can't EXAS just find more people who-^ 

-*3 minutes ETA for the car*- 

_____________ 

The car stopped in front of the parking entrance to NERV. 

Shinji got out and closed the door behind him, when he turned to go in he heard the car start up and go somewhere in the concrete pillared lot to park. 

Shinji was so busy watching the car drive off that he didn't notice the person standing behind him, that was until he felt something at the back of his head. 

^!!!!!!!!!^ 

The boy placed his hands on his head, closed is eyes and said a quick prayer. 

Shinji didn't really `believe' in any great creator but, desperate people usually do stupid things. 

" `bang' " 

The object pulled away from the back of his scalp and a voice spoke. 

"you should really keep an eye out kid, what if the saviors had tried to grab you again?" 

Shinji pulled his arms down and turned to see Eagle pantomiming a gun with his hand and grinning at Shinji.. 

"will you more careful next time?" 

"yes" 

^what was that all about? He's kinda weird, then again, everyone here is kind of odd^ 

"well then like I promised. Dinner" 

"Well actually, Eagle, I'm not that hungry" 

Visibly deflated Eagle smiled again and replied 

"fine then, supper at least, NERV doesn't have a terrible kitchen; almost standard really" 

"ok I guess" 

"after you Shinji" 

"this my second time actually being here" 

"fine just wait for … there we are let's go" 

Shinji was about as enthused as a fern. 

^…yay…^ 

"so Shinji what do you think of NERV so far?" 

"it's big and underground and has those giant robots and fights monsters called `angels' fro no reason I can tell and it has a hospital and lots of people who I really don't know" 

"not bad for less than a full day, you see the numbers on the corners of each passage cross?" 

"yeah…" 

"can't you read latin characters?" 

"uh…" 

"the letters western countries use." 

"oh you mean the area signs for each corner? " 

"yeah, so do you know how they work?" 

"no" 

"good, me neither. In a few more weeks I should know my way around here till then…" 

Eagle tapped the black material that went around his eyes and connected to the dull grey object on the back of his head. 

"…I'll just use the navigator." 

Shinji sighed, he had expected something more, something more useful. 

"what's with you kid?" 

"_I_ don't have a `navigator'." 

"What's with the attitude? You can use a map. Here." 

Shinji accepted the folded paper and opened it up, several locations were labeled in ink; in english. 

Shinji sighed again. ^well at least it is labeled, and I do have to work on my english.^ 

"here we are Shinji. The NERV cafeteria. It's here on the map." 

Eagle pointed at the map that Shinji was holding, somehow Shinji had followed Eagle while looking at the map. 

^huh? What, how did^ 

"can you read english?" 

"no" 

"I'll show you where it is n the map, lemme look at it" 

Shinji handed the unfolded sheet over and noted where Eagle pointed the food dispensary out on the map for further reference. 

The two walked to the pile of trays and grabbed whatever had been deemed edible by NERV's `stringent' regulations, and was left at this time of day. 

There would be more food but, the day shift was starting to trickle out and the food for the evening shift wouldn't be in for an other three quarters of an hour. So they made do with large helpings of rice to go with whatever other food had slipped the eyes of hundreds of rushed NERV employees during the never quite long enough lunch break. 

Walking to the register at the end the attendant punching the cost and waited for first Shinji then Eagle to flash their ID cards under a scanner and finish the transaction. 

With the ability to nearly negate the need for hard currency no one really had to worry about being robbed of their cash, since ID cards needed the owner holding on to the card to transfer funds for goods or services. 

Advocates of the freedom of privacy, and there are always those who do not want to be watched, railed against the `electronic trail' everyone left behind when they purchased anything. 

Shinji followed Eagle to a table near the edge of the room and sat across from the man. 

Not really knowing if he should start first or not Shinji just waited, it would show poorly of the Japanese people if he broke some western taboo as yet unknown to him. 

"you can start if you want Shinji." 

Picking up the chopsticks from the tray Shinji lifted one of the small plates, moved some of the contents onto the large plate of rice and began to eat. 

Partway through his food Shinji realized that the man sitting across from him wasn't eating. 

"do you need something Eagle-san?" 

"Eagle is preferred, no. No I'm fine just had to deal with something. So how's the food here? Good? Mediocre? not worth turledung?" 

"well… it's not bad, but, I've had ^..and made...^ better. I didn't know that Americans had names after animals" 

^or used turledung as a word…^ 

"normally they don't." 

Eagle picked up the chocksticks and started to eat. 

"what? What's wrong kid?" 

Shinji was surprised that an American could use chopsticks, in fact many of the non-Japanese NERV employees used forks and knives to eat; and some of the Japanese used forks and knives to butcher their already cooked food. 

Then again most americans would be surprised if they found they could order steak in Japan; and probably steak better than most americans could find anywhere else. 

"so why did your parents name you `Eagle'? " 

"they didn't" 

Shinji watched as the man didn't stop eating and proceeded to eat as if he had been starving, or was paid on the amount of food he ate. 

Eagle looked up and saw that Shinji still had food left. 

"we have to go soon, so hurry up and finish eating." 

Shinji started again and between mouthfuls asked where they had to go. 

"Firing range 4-B, the first thing we need to find is how good you can use a gun" 

Shinji dropped his chopsticks and the clattering made Eagle look up. ^well, well you better not give me trouble 

"ah-ah-ah-I c-c-can't" 

"and why not? You could have been killed if I wasn't waiting the other day" 

"you said they wanted to capture me because of my father…" 

^you knew I could pilot and you didn't tell me… 

you're just doing father's job for him. 

He wants me to, to kill father wants me to use a gun. 

He can tell me himself if he wants that so bad. 

I _won't_ kill not before, not now, not ever.^ 

Remembering the corpses on the street twisted Shinji's food-filled belly into knots making him feel even worse than before. 

"capture, kill it wouldn't matter anyway you'd be in harm's way. 

Even if you were only captured the saviors would end up killing you unless you told them everything about NERV and those giant machines…the Evas" 

"but, I didn't even hear of NERV till I was almost there and the same with the, Eva; I still didn't believe you or capta- I mean Misato till I saw it" 

^and father…to think this is what he has been doing all this time^ 

"why would they want to capture me if I knew nothing" 

^well maybe not you exactly…but parents _have_ been coerced when their offspring are at risk^ 

"who knows where the saviors got that idea? 

The fact is they wanted you then and, now you know about Evangelions so they'll want you more than ever. 

That's why you have to know how to use a gun." 

"but guns are illegal to carry in Japan! How do you expect me to carry one if it's illegal?" 

"if UN officers can be licensed carry firearms on commercial airliners then you will be able to carry a piece in your own country." 

"I'm not a UN officer though…and what piece are you talking about?" 

"NERV is part of the UN Shinji, so I guess you can be issued a firearms license. `Piece' is an other word for gun" 

"I'm just a kid why should I carry a gun?" 

"If an Eva pilot protects the city from angels they should be at least be able to protect themselves from terrorists, don't you agree?." 

"….uh" 

"you agree that you should be able to defend yourself then, its not like we can draft more pilots out of the population you know" 

^unless the Marduk agency is a sham and almost anyone could pilot…sure young people should pilot, but soldiers who know the risks; not barely teenaged kids^ 

"I, so its hard to find a pilot for the…" 

Eagle finished the boy's sentence 

"Eva?" 

^why can't you say that word? What the fuck did it do to you kid? 

Shinji nodded in consent. Noting the boy would remain silent, Eagle kept speaking. 

"From what I hear it isn't like they can pull anyone of the street and `presto' they can pilot" 

^…but that's what they did to me though…^ 

"but I never even saw that thing till I got into it" 

"doesn't mean they can approximate the chances of you becoming an Eva pilot. You probably took some test when you were younger and it qualified you as a pilot" 

"oh, like the UN's `general ability tests'?" 

"maybe, you might have been tested and not known. In any case you can pilot and since pilots are hard to find we have to keep them safe and the best way to keep someone safe is to make them able to protect themselves. 

So let's go then" 

Shinji didn't know what to say, every argument he had against him even learning to use a gun was being buried under an avalanche of facts that were beyond his control. 

If Eva pilots were so rare and the angels were so tough, then the pilots should be kept safe he rationalized but to carry a gun, it just seemed extreme to Shinji. 

_________________ 

Blackness. 

Blackness. 

Blackness still but now self imposed to reflect on the immediate past and present. 

^…no pain…arm nearly healed…the commander said I should have retreated when the angel approached…but where did it approach from?…I never saw it, till it landed on Eva-00 and... that is all I remember, it had climbed something and landed on the Eva and attacked and I lost consciousness.^ 

Opening her eyes and looking about the room, Rei Ayanami silently looked at the rest of the room. 

^the commander said that the pilot of Eva-01 defeated the angel on his own…the commander's son defeated the angel…if I had gone alone we might have lost but, Ikari had never been in an Eva before. How could he have known how to pilot?^ 

Blackness encroached upon her mind again and Rei closed her eyes to sleep again. 

The door handle to the room started to turn and Rei woke fully waiting to see what was happening. 

Turned all the way the handle allowed the door to open as well and in stepped Gendo Ikari. 

Walking to the machines that monitored Rei's progress he tapped the display screen. 

Waiting for the screen to show what he wanted Gendo Ikari looked at the rooms other occupant and saw she was awake. 

"when you are better Rei, you will begin training; outside of the Evangelion." 

^…outside?…^ 

"I have sufficient training outside of Eva Commander" 

"yes. However you only know how to fight on your own." 

^…the third child, I will have to fight with him against the angels^ 

"who will be the instructor?" 

"the new teacher is a member of the UN and will not leave as easily as your last instructor." 

"very well" 

^if we work as a team we won't suffer as much damage, this an other good plan of the commander's. I have to rest…^ 

Closing her eyes she went back to sleep. 

Gendo looked one more time at the display and walked out. 

_______________ 

Misato walked to her office and saw what every person working for massive bureaucracies hates to see. 

^WHAT!…oh please, someone up there please let this be a dream^ 

It was no dream, the mountain of forms that had to be filled were even stacked in piles beside her desk and she would have to go through them all…eventually. 

^might as well get started I guess. I have about…^ Looking at her watch Misato realized that more time had passed than should have 

^…shit! Good thing I checked the time. I might have missed them^ 

______________ 

"well let's see what you've got" 

The sounds of speech were faint and vague to Shinji. 

All he could see was the dark lump of metal on the ledge in the firing range and think of how it, or something like it, had been used only a short while ago. 

^and they're dead now…^ 

"look Shinji you don't have to kill anyone, right now all you have to do is pick the gun up, point at the bull's-eye and fire" 

Eagle had wisely replaced the standard human silhouette target paper with an inverse bull's-eye; a white circle surrounded by a black field. 

Most civilians had enough trouble dissociating a silhouette from being a human and Shinji would be no less gun-shy than most people; in fact Shinji was proving to be more than gun-shy. 

Eagle had his work cut out for him. 

"even if you're firing at real-live terrorists you don't have to kill them to keep people safe" 

Shinji looked up at the man. ^…how?…you shot to kill that time^ 

Eagle stared right back, he wasn't about to lose to some punk kid in a staring contest, besides he had one more bullet of rationality to subdue the conflict in Shinji's mind. 

"unless you know how to use a gun well enough you won't be sure if you only wound a person." 

Shinji furrowed his brow ^what did he say?^ 

"can you explain that again? I don't understand what you said" 

This time Eagle furrowed his brow but, at least the boy didn't reject what he said; yet. 

*what is wrong with the translator program?* 

-*not perfected, there are always lapses between languages, you of all people know that*- 

"If you don't know how to shoot to kill you'll never learn how to shoot to disable. So will you try using the gun Shinji?" 

The fact that he _didn't_ have to kill someone when he used a gun was the rationalization that Shinji finally accepted. 

"so how do I do that? Just hurt someone I mean." 

"you'll have to learn how to kill someone first, then you just shoot at other areas when you don't want to kill." 

Eagle hoped he was vague enough, he had no intention of teaching the boy how to shoot to wound and not to kill. 

All Eagle was concerned with was that the boy be able to be comfortable with a handgun and not lose his cool if he was forced to use one. His job was to train people to use weapons effectively, not pander to bleeding heart types. 

"Oh, okay then. So what do I do now?" 

"Pick up the gun." 

Shinji lifted the dark metal with one hand and shifted his hand around to accommodate the weight. 

It wasn't too heavy, it was just, just different to hold a gun in his hand. 

Looking up, Shinji realized that he had been staring at the gun and the eagle had been watching. 

"well what do you think of it Shinji?" 

"it, it's different I guess. I mean, I've never held a gun before, I thought it would be heavier or something I guess" 

"aim at the target Shinji" 

Shinji make a half turn and raised the weapon at the white circle on the black field. 

^this isn't too bad I guess, it's not like there's a person there or anything. If I just pulled the trigger…^ 

"Whoa there kid. You're gonna hafta load the gun first" 

Shinji's eyes widened then relaxed and he lowered the gun, and his sight, to the ledge. 

^I feel like an idiot. I was going to actually try and shoot the gun too. Maybe I should leave, I really don't want to carry a gun anyway.^ 

"Shinji?" 

"Yes?" 

"Open the box of ammunition" 

Shinji put the gun down, lifted the cardboard box to open it and placed the box of rounds on the ledge again. 

There they were row after row of dull greyish metal ^they look so boring, its kind of sad really. These boring little things end life…and now, now I have to use them^ 

"Now pick the gun up and press the two buttons near the back of the barrel, yeah their on either side to the barrel." 

With a faint click the tip of the barrel pointed down and away from the ground while the base was up in the air and the twin tubes stuck in the air, each raised up by its own spring at the tip of the barrel. 

"and now you load the barrels, 6 rounds each, I don't have to tell you which end of the bullet goes in first do I?" 

"no it's okay" 

Shinji picked a round from the box and almost placed in the tube closest to him ^the bottom barrel…^ then placed it in anyway. 

Shinji watched as the round slid down the tube before placing the other 5 rounds. 

Then he proceeded to fill the still empty ammo tube this time grabbing all six at once he placed them one after the other in the top barrel. 

Looking up Shinji asked "now what do I do?" 

^Well, not so gun-shy I guess…hope it lasts though.^ 

"Lift the barrel so it mates with the back of the gun like it was before you opened it up." 

Shinji complied and the gun was as it was before, and it was loaded. 

"try aiming now that's loaded…feels different now compared to before, right?" 

Shinji had to agree, the gun pulled down more in the front than before ^the full barrels^ but, other than that it didn't feel unbalanced or odd. 

Pointing at the white circle again, Shinji realized that the gun was pointing to the side a bit. He raised his empty left hand to balance the gun and wrapped his left around his right and the right around the handle. 

*** 

(Pat): two hands _ARE_ better than one! 

(Gord): he wrapped his hands around the `gun', hmmm…something implied here? 

(J_E): what? Oh no, you sick bastards. God ^give me strength^ he's using weaver stance, you have to use both hands to hold the gun in a weaver stance anyway 

(Pat): I know, its still funny though 

*** 

"not bad Shinji, now all you need to do is turn it on and start shooting." 

^on? I thought it was a different word.^ 

"see the metal band on the table?" 

Shinji had barely noticed the grey metal band before he picked it up to look at it closely. It had a glossy black inset rectangle; with a red light ^what the hell is this?^ 

"it allows you use that gun, when you turn the safety off of course" 

"oh, ok." ^what do I do with it? Is it a bracelet or what?^ 

Shinji was still holding the band in one hand and the gun in the other, he put the gun down and put the band on his wrist before lowering his hand to pick the weapon up again. 

The band did _something_ to the gun, the buttons on the side of the handle were lit by a faint red, a panel that Shinji hadn't noticed glowed green near his thumb and the handle. The handle vibrated at a nearly imperceptible level; it was as if the gun had come to life. 

Shinji just stared as he saw the lights on the buttons dim to nothing as before but, the handle, he could feel it ^I knew guns were supposed to be different after the impact but, they don't show any of that in movies I guess^ 

"pretty freaky eh?" 

"why is it, well it felt like it was shaking before but, now I can barely feel it what happened?" 

"if the gun's a rockin, you don't have to turn it on" 

^??? These Americanisms are confusing^ 

"if you can feel the handle, then the gun is on, easy enough to remember?" 

"I guess so can I shoot or not?" 

"press the safety and lets see what you've got, at the target of course" 

Shinji looked at the gun and seeing a small button with the word `safe' written in tiny kanji and lit from the inside, pressing it the writing faded and was replaced with the word `ready'. 

^that's that `safe' I guess^ 

"the target isn't gonna run away if you don't shot it Shinji but, you won't learn how to shoot unless you actually start; preferably now" 

"sorry" 

Shinji turned to face the white bull's eye, lifted the gun and fired. 

__________________________ 

Well that's done with, thought I'd never finish it too. Now that FF.net (I appreciate the people who run it b the way) supports .doc files I'm laughing. My 1st chapter sucked because I posted it as a .txt file and I had originally written it as a .doc so it came out with overly wide line lengths. 

This chapter is the single longest thing file I've ever written (well over the 20,000 words like I planned) but, I wanted Shinji at least seeing the gun by the end of the 2nd chapter. 

Thanks to all those who review, I take all your comments to heart . I appreciate the fact that someone else realizes the chars were IC to begin with (thx Rhine for the well written review) and I'm gonna keep them that way as long a possible. 

What I'm really looking for is a few good readers who want to poke holes in my fic (the bigger a hole you poke the better the fic will end up) and preferably give me a hint as to how to fix the error. 

For those who hate AAC who become the centre of a fic, Eagle has his enemies (or will make them out of existing chars). 

Gendo at least because he's a civilian who's in charge of a UN financed military organization, any military organization (army, navy, air force, marines etc.) _hates_ it when paper pushers are allowed to command. 

Eagle's gonna get pissed the way Misato acts (personally I think she's a great char, she won #4 Anime babe of all time for a reason other than good looks you know 8^) ). If Eagle had to work with her for real she would really get on his nerves. 

The way she `commands', or what passes for commanding at NERV, in combat situation; she's a real micro-manager, which is really foolish in combat. 

The way she can't say anything truly inspiring in a fight. She's not a field officer at all, she's a desk brat really, so I'm not to surprised that she doesn't let the pilots have more free reign. 

I mean a little strife between characters is good, builds character I say. 

Document created with wvWare/wvWare version 0.6.7 -->


	9. Chapter 3 (only part-started but I am l...

Chapter 3 `Starship Troopers' 

Chapter 3 `The Hubologists have Nothing on an Eva' 

Last chapter was too damn long, I'll try to shorten this one (prolly won't but I'll try anyway) 8^| 

______________ 

Misato walked the metal corridors of NERV toward a place she went to on a regular basis but now she was coming with no purpose or at least no real purpose. 

^At least I get away from the paper work and I can say I'm just practicing if they ask what I'm doing there^ 

Some of the rooms she passed weren't perfectly sound insulated, the throaty staccato of automatic weapons fire could be heard from one of the practice ranges. 

^Like we really need to train for a real war, all the angels are supposed to be huge 

Making her way to the last room she heard gun shots. ^Looks like I'm not too late then^ 

The door slid open and Misato walked in. At the far end of the room at the last range she saw two people, one of slighter build and shorter than the other and firing an automatic pistol down the range. 

Walking to the range's ammo dispenser she made a selection, swiped her ID card and took the box of rounds from the lined basket at the end of the chute. 

__________ 

*Thought no one was going to use this range* 

-*Then why would someone appear unless they knew you would be here? You should see who it is; increasing magnifiaction*- 

*Oh, figures. Thinks I'm gonna spook the kid…or she actually might have to train on the firing range* 

-*Unlikely*- 

*Shh, it was a joke. Well his wrist is prolly sore so we better leave soon* 

"Hey Eagle? I'm out of rounds again" 

"Then reload" 

Eagle wasn't paying much attention to Shinji, as he wanted to keep an eye on the person making her way towards them. 

"I mean I used the whole box of rounds, I am I done yet?" 

^My arms are killing me. Stupid gun bounces all over the place too. I hope I don't have to shoot on the firing range soon.^ 

"oh never mind then, just use the rest of the rounds then" 

"I've used the whole box and the gun is empty" 

^may I never do this again^ 

"Really? Your arms tired? Your wrists killing you?" 

"…." 

"c'mon Shinji I need to know if you can keep going or if you're done for now. Are your wrists killing you? 

"kinda, they're all sore" Shinji had balled his hands into fists and was moving them in circles to ease the growing pain. 

"Well not bad for a first day, from now on your coming with me when I do my range practice. I want you to get up to eighty shots in a string in the next two months" 

^how? I'm this tired just using the rounds in a single box how am I gonna get up to eighty?^ 

"with your left hand" 

Shinji was even at a lost for thoughts, let alone speech. 

^…………………….my left hand? My arms are killing from using both and he wants me to use my left. ^ 

-*_That_ spooked him.*- 

*Really?* 

"Don't worry Shinji, your only problem so far was how you held your gun. most people get tired after a few reloads the way you were shooting. You hold your gun different and you'll be fine" 

"…" 

"Go get an other box of rounds Shinji." 

Eagle handed Shinji his ID card and the empty box of bullets. "…and dump this box while you're at it" 

Shinji sighed and walked towards the machine. The gunshot practice, and accompanying muzzle flashes, had temporarily taken a toll on Shinji's ears and eyes. 

As a result he had not seen anyone else entering the room, or walk to one of the shooting booths and load their weapon or… 

:PFHAUUGH: 

:PFHAUUGH: 

:PFHAUUGH: 

:PFHAUUGH: 

Shinji saw someone back out of a booth just ahead of him ^…that's weird, I didn't see anyone come in…^ 

Suddenly what Eagle had told him when just before he had entered NERV today. 

^…."you should really keep an eye out kid, what if the saviors had tried to grab you again?"…^ 

The gunshots and the recollection of the speech from before was affecting Shinji, his hand was clammily readjusting itself on the unloaded gun and he wiped the cold sweat that was starting to bead on his forehead. 

A figure stepped backwards from the booth and turned their head to face Shinji. 

"Hey there Shinji!" ^what the hell is wrong with him? What did that robot do to him, I knew it was a bad idea to let him take care of Shinji^ 

"Shinji? What's wrong Shinji? You ok?" 

Shinji just stood there, he could have sworn his heart had skipped a beat and if he hadn't been gulping so hard he would have screamed at the top of his lungs. 

^I AM GLAD TO SEE YOU!^ 

"oh sorry miss, Misato. y-y-y-You just startled me a bit" 

^yeeah, and if I `startled' you anymore you'd be on the ground clutching your chest^ 

"you sure you're ok Shinji?" 

"yeah, yeah, I just didn't expect you to be here and I heard shots and, and, and…" 

^We should have sent for Shinji in a car instead of making him walk from the train station, and now he's scared of guns. How is he going to use a gun after he saw what happened the very first day he was here?^ 

"Oh, you're still worried about what happened when you came here the first day; aren't you?" 

"Kind of, but I just didn't see anyone come in and then the gunshots and-" 

"Shinji!" 

The two turned to see Eagle was walking up to them. 

"You got those rounds yet? We have lots of material to cover still." 

"Sorry Misato, I still have more target practice to do and I ran out of rounds and" 

"It's ok Shinji, I see you later then" 

Shinji walked on to the dispenser to get what he needed. 

"Captain" 

Misato turned to see Eagle salute her. She returned the gesture. 

^and now I have to talk with you….^ 

"So Captain, nice to see NERV likes to keep an eye on all of its assets, and liabilities; in person" 

Misato safed her gun and put it back in its holster. 

^No sense doing something stupid^ she thought ^besides he _is_ supposed to help us^ 

"What are you talking about? I'm just here for target practice, all NERV personnel have to know how to use their sidearms" 

^Suuure, even techies carry heaters hehehahaHAHAHAHAHA^ 

"I'm glad someone here takes their job seriously" 

^What is that supposed to mean? Ghhh^ 

Misato realized the veiled insult for what it was and tried to act professionally ^all I have to do is ask him^. 

"So you got Shinji to use a gun?" 

"So far, after what happened the first time I met him I wasn't sure he would even pick it up." 

"About that, how did you get him to use it anyway, and why a gun as his first practice? Why not something else" 

"Why a gun? Well, if he _really_ couldn't use it this time I had something else planned but he realizes that he has to be able to protect himself if he's in danger, Eva pilots coming once in a blue moon and all that" 

^Blue moon? What the hell is that supposed to mean?^ 

"What is this blue moon?" 

^Stupid, stupid, stupid. I _need_ a better translator.^ 

-*Sorry for the lapse*- 

*And I'm sorry I keep using idioms, they're going to end up learning more English than I do Japanese* 

"A blue moon is a very rare occurrence so the reference means rare or seldom occurring. 

What I told Shinji was that Eva pilots can't be pulled off the street and that they have to be screened. As a result he can't go get himself captured so he has to carry a gun" 

^oh, makes sense, figures a guilt trip would keep Shinji in line. We didn't know he could pilot^ 

"Are you kidding me? We just shoved him in and we got lucky" 

"What? I thought that NERV knew from before that Shinji was a potential pilot" 

^then the whole Marduk is a fake, I thought so^ 

Misato was deadly serious now 

"Potential yes, but there was 0.000,000,001% chance of it working, its called an 0-9 system we were infinitely lucky that he was able to synchronize with the Eva." 

^so unless he got in they didn't know…^ 

"Then how was the commander so certain that Shinji would be able to pilot if it was an, oh-nine system? 

Last I heard only specially selected children could pilot, or is there something _else_ that NERV _didn't_ tell the UN" 

^Children impressionable sure, but children aren't the ideal candidates for combat line troops. There are minimum age restrictions for enlisting for a reason.^ 

^How DARE you insinuate that NERV hides info, EXAS has never been candid with the public about their `actions' if even a tenth of the rumors are true^ 

Misato was smiling, if she didn't force herself to she would most likely be grimacing instead. 

"That I know of, Shinji was screened and could have been a pilot but until he was actually in the plug seat we couldn't be sure." 

"Is there anything else you want, other than monitoring how I train Shinji and practicing your marksmanship" 

"How good is Shinji anyway?" 

"He's just starting, and unless I'm wrong I don't report to you, captain." 

"I'm his guardian, I should know how he is progressing in his training" 

"he's not afraid of picking up a gun and pulling the trigger, but this is only a range" 

Shinji had walked back by then and had been listening for a time to walk up without embarrassing the adults who were talking about him. 

"Uh hi again, Eagle, the machine over there" 

Shinji pointed at the wall panel and conveyor belt end that composed the range's ammunition dispenser. 

"Gave me two boxes of bullets and what should I do with the other one?" 

Shinji held up a box with a red band of colour around the sides, as opposed to the standard green band on most of the boxes of ammo. 

Misato raised an eyebrow when se saw the box, then smiled when she realized why Eagle had that particular type of round selected. 

"nope that's just what we need, let's go back to the firing booth, later. Captain." 

Eagle saluted again and walked with Shinji at his side towards the last booth 

^if he got those rounds…well I guess I'd do anything to keep Shinji safe too.^ 

________________________ 

"Ok hold the gun out again Shinji the same way you did before." 

Shinji extended his right arm outward and wrapped his left hand around his right making an isosceles triangle, with his torso forming the base and his arms forming the sides. 

"Take a shot" 

Shinji closed his index finger towards himself and the gun fired in response, the gun kicked upwards and Shinji was forced to pull it down and keep in place. 

"Did you notice that? The kickback?" 

"Yes" ^for the thirty-first time I've noticed^ 

"Annoying, isn't it?" 

"Kind of, but I'll get used to it after a while I guess" 

"Here do like I do instead" 

Eagle pulled his own gun from its holster in the middle of his belt and stood up to the ledge, arms out and holding the grip and legs spread apart. 

"Try this instead Shinji. Gun arm out but not perfectly straight, supporting arm a lot more bent and the supporting side forward of the wielding side, when you shoot the gun won't jump like a spooked horse." 

Shinji mimicked the pose and realized ^this even feels more natural, why didn't he tell me before?^ 

"Eagle?" 

"In a minute, feet next. The wielding side's leg back and slightly bent. Same with the other side but like the shoulder, out in the front. It gives your gun arm better cover and you can move easier than if your just standing with your feet planted to the ground." 

Shinji shifted his weight to the ends of his feet, flexing his knees in test he was even more anxious to ask his question. 

"Eagle?" 

"Yes" 

"Why didn't you tell me how to do this before? I mean, I thought you, I" Shinji couldn't think of how exactly to phrase what he wanted to ask at first. Then he realized what to say. 

"I thought you were supposed to train me. Why didn't you tell me how t hold a gun a first? I mean you just let me practice with the gun when I really didn't know what I was doing." 

-*Oh _do_ please tell*- 

*shut up* 

"I want to get a feel for what you can do before we really start your practice. I just want an idea of how to teach you is all." 

"oh" 

"ok now you've got loading and your stance so we're gonna practice a bit more with this stance and then your ok to go home." 

Shinji nodded and opened the green labeled box of rounds, grabbed a handful and loaded the gun's barrels. 

With the last round pushed in place Shinji bent the barrels up and the gun clicked back in place. Shinji looked up and saw that Eagle had something in his hands, or rather two `somethings'. 

^why would he need those?^ 

"They're for you Shinji. If you're gonna practice on the firing range you're going to have to keep your ears and eyes from being dulled." Eagle extended his hands, offering the shades and hearing protectors to Shinji. 

^yeah, I guess I'll need them. I didn't even see that Misato was Misato after only shooting thirty rounds, if I kept it up I'll go blind and deaf….If I'm blind I won't be able to walk, and if I can't walk I can't fight and if I can't fight they won't keep me here. I mean there has to be other people who could pilot, aren't there^ 

Shinji put the tinted plastic over his eyes and adjusted the two padded domes of plastic that went over his ears. He could barely hear a thing, and his sight wasn't too good right now either. 

Shinji felt a tap on his shoulder and turned. Eagle was motioning for Shinji to lift one of the muffs from his ears. 

"sorry, I guess I didn't hear you" 

"Ok, I just want to say that you are to always wear these when you're doing target practice, _always_ ok?" 

^Why can't someone else be a pilot? I mean that kid with the camera today, he liked the Evas.^ 

Eagle interpreted Shinji's silence as dismissal. 

"Shinji." 

Shinji looked up again. 

"Will you wear the ear covers and shades when you're on the firing range?" 

Shinji looked at the gun he had placed on the table while he had put the two items on his head. 

"yes." 

"good, now put the ear muffs back on and start shooting" 

Shinji readjusted the ear covers and sunglasses one more time before picking up the weapon and readying it for fire. 

^right out and kind of bent, left really bent and forward, legs bent and left forward right back, ok I'm ready for this. He said it won't jump all over the place, all I have to do is squeeze…^ 

Shinji took a deep mind clearing breath. Followed by an other. And an other. 

Soon Shinji was on the verge of hyperventilating, he slammed his hands on the ledge to keep his balance, the metal in his right hitting solidly against the ledge with a dull `clunk'. 

Shinji pulled the glasses off, to see what was going around him, the ear covers followed the shades on the table. 

"You're seeing a person when you pull the trigger…" 

^Everyone sees one if they know that what their learning will be tested against living people. ^ 

"…at the other end of the barrel." 

Shinji nodded in consent. His arms were flexing involuntarily and his hands were forcing themselves into fists, Shinji looked at his right and lifted it wildly. The gun dropped from his hand, it looked different to Shinji now that it wasn't in a hand. 

Innocuous almost, just a lump of metal and circuitry; until someone picks it up and squeezes the trigger. 

^I can't, I won't, it's just wrong, I mean everyone has a right to live.^ 

"yes, and I can't pull the trigger. I just keep imagining the bullet hitting and it cutting through them and I think of what it would feel like. And I just _can't_." 

^…fuck… and things were actually going well.^ 

"You ever been shot Shinji?" 

Shinji turned to face Eagle. 

"no." 

"it doesn't hurt that much." 

^…unless you get a good gut shot, you could be there for hours waiting for a torn liver to give out on you^ 

-*Eagle? What are you going to do? I don't approve of what I think you are about to do.*- 

*desperate times, desperate measures* 

Eagle pulled his firearm from it holster and aimed at Shinji. 

"Do you want to know what it really feels like Shinji?" 

Shinji was frozen in place. This man was pointing a weapon at him and this man had killed only a little while ago and if he had no qualms then he would probably fire now. 

Eagle replaced the weapon and spoke again. 

"…thought not. Do you see what I mean Shinji?" 

"….w-w-w-wh-wha-wha-t?" 

^he was going to SHOOT me!^ 

"If someone else is going to shoot at you they don't care if they hurt you, that's what they want to do! They want to hurt you. 

Anyone else who is trying to shoot at you won't reconsider shooting you like I just did, they'll just shoot you and actually hope they hurt and kill you. 

Now do you understand why you have to bring yourself to shoot, its them who want to kill you or you who has to live." 

"I, yes." 

"pick up the gun and try again." 

Shinji turned and placed his hand over the weapon, slowly lowering his hand till it was against the metal; he wrapped his hands around the now cooled metal and lifted it up. 

^I just need to pull the trigger and, I mean there's no one I'm shooting at…right now. I can't do this^ 

Shinji looked over his shoulder and saw that Eagle was watching him. 

"Are you sure you're alright with this Shinji?" 

Shinji looked forward again and hung his head. 

"No. If I'm learning how to shoot I know I'm going to have to use it and if I use it I'm going to hurt someone, or kill someone." 

"Safe the gun and unload the rounds." 

Shinji sighed in relief and started emptying the weapon. 

"what if you didn't have to kill someone when you shot them?" 

Shinji stopped when he heard this, a round still in his hand, and looked around at Eagle. 

"What do you mean?" 

"You can still incapacitate someone without killing them, there are more than standard rounds available y'know." 

"How?" 

"Open the red labeled box." 

Shinji looked to see an other box of ammunition, the rounds looked different but Shinji couldn't place what was different. 

That is until he picked the box up. 

^they _moved_?^ 

"HELP rounds, High energy, low penetration; basically delivers the force of a bullet but the rounds splats on impact and spreads the force so it just gives a nasty bruise and knocks the guy down for a while. Non-lethal rounds that don't bounce off their targets and still stay non-lethal at close range." 

Shinji picked one of the box and pushed the tip with his index finger, the tip of the round moved when Shinji pressed. 

^splats?…oh it's a gelatin of somesort…^ 

"you won't have to kill if you use those." 

"I guess I won't." 

"guess who those are for?" 

"me" ^he already guessed I wouldn't be able to use real ammo, guess he was right to get an other box.^ 

and after I show you how to do something, 

Well sorry Shinji you're not 

Did 

To the ammunition dispenser and swiped her ID card for a box rounds to b 

Document created with wvWare/wvWare version 0.6.7 -->


	10. Appendix A: Explanations of EXAS technol...

Appendix: Explanations  
  
This fic uses technology that is feasible in 2015 (Evangelions notwithstanding, unless 2nd impact does occur).   
  
Since Eagle will have most of said tech, I want to add this appendix of explanations of all the gear Eagle uses. Also I really, really hate it when an author uses the writing itself to explain how technology works for the benefit of the reader. Personally, I think it shows poor writing skill, either the knowledge should be available to most people so no explanation is needed or it is so secret that the chars don't want to reveal to anyone else how the tech works.  
  
Instead of talking about tech in my fic I'll do what Frank Herbert did for the Dune saga, write an appendix.  
  
*Offensive equipment/technology*  
  
Metal Storm -   
Ballistics company. Their designs use the barrel itself as the ammo magazine. Each round is in a column and fired with an electric charge. Thus more than one 'barrel' of ammo can be stored and different types of rounds in each barrel. The ammo type is selected electronically, the whole gun is really a computer controlled ammo fining platform in the shape of a handgun really. Presently all metal storm guns need modified ammo but, in say 15 years they could be able to use standard cased ammo.  
  
Eagle's MS gun has six 9mm (10 rounds each) barrels and one .45 (6 rounds) barrel.  
If you saw what the 'normal' MS gun looked like it's actually limited in its payload.  
  
The August 2001 issue of Popular Mechanics talks about MS and their work. Currently they have a massive platform that is used to test many different sizes of ammunition (its called the 'Bertha' because of its size).  
  
TAR (Tavor Assault Rifle) Micro Commando -   
  
Israel Military industries newest polycomposite assault rifle for extremely close confines (as opposed to the larger TAR Sharpshooter or the rifle). Fires NATO 5.75 mm rounds (30 round clips), sound suppressor option attached. This is an extremely low maintenance weapon designed to give counter insurgency forces an extremely light weapon with enough power to cut through military issue body armour. Plus the gun is only 480 mm long from end to end so it can strap to your thigh and not take up both hands to carry so its perfect as heavier firepower backup to the handgun.  
  
www.imi.com Is the page you can look up, or just look up the TAR  
  
Targeting Cameras -   
Mounted on top of each weapon, uses a covered cable to feed the image straight to the eye screens. Wireless could be used so no wires are able to be cut. However, wireless video feeds aren't anywhere as fast as direct line connections and since you want to see what you gun is tracking right _now_, not when it refreshes in 1 second. Also since the guns are 'eyes' Eagle will end up using them as such ("better a gun cam than your head" I always say). The plugs for the cameras in the armour are all at waist level. Placement of the input plugs to the eye screen are as follows; one over the middle of waist (for the handguns camera) and one at each side (for the TAR-MC (left or right handed)).  
  
Dunno where exactly you could see a easily viewable example of this. However, the US army has been making their soldiers 'high-tech' ever since the mid 1990's. One of these, upgrades, is a camera (rather large too) mounted over the top of the assault rifle and a helmet mounted screen that feeds the camera's video to the soldier.  
  
Vibro Blades-  
Cut through granite blocks without breaking a sweat (or using RDX, hehe). The appeal of a knife that can cut through anything short of molecularly bonded materials (only a possible when minting (building items from their basic atomic level upwards) is feasible), is incredible. Suddenly, close combat is now possible against an opponent in full heavy body armour : ).  
  
There's a company selling them for slicing food for the food industry  
Dukane is the company selling vibrating blades  
http://www.dukane.com/us/products/food/foodProducts.htm  
  
Also a drill able to drill 'square' holes now exists, the bit vibrates at an extremely high speed so it can bore a hole through solid granite with no pressure needed by the user. In fact the user only has to make sure the drill doesn't tip over since the drill can use its own weight to apply the pressure needed.  
  
Fairbanks-Sykes Combat knife-  
  
Designed near the end of WW II by former British Special Forces officers Fairbanks and Sykes. The knife is meant specifically for the purpose of making the job of separating a person from their life as fluid and as fast as possible. It is recognized as the 'commando' knife by many and many special forces units in the world use Fairbanks-Sykes combat knives, I doubt there will be a massive improvement to this staple of hand t hand combat.  
  
Dimensions:   
Length(s)   
-278 mm (tip to pommel)  
-175 mm (blade)  
-100 mm (hilt to pommel)  
Width(s)  
-24 mm (blade at base)  
-55mm (hilt)  
15mm (Handle start)  
21mm (Handle middle)  
10 mm (Handle end, pommel start)  
15mm (pommel end)  
  
Eagle carries as many knives as he can strap to his armour, (normally 4 (one strapped to the chest, one on the back of the left forearm, one strapped to the small of the back and one on the right shin). All are solid black metal in hard plastic sheaths (black of course).  
  
  
*Defensive Equipment/Technology*  
  
Armour - Synthetic spider silk, dyed black. Spider silk is currently being synthesized using goats milk (because the way a goat (or cow) creates milk proteins is very similar to how a spider makes spider silk.  
The armour has ceramic insertion plates to further beef up defense on the chest and outers of the arms and legs.  
  
Article on the silk synthesis (the BBC's webpage)  
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_889000/889951.stm  
Modern example of uses of silk as armour (silk armour for Thailand's security forces)  
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_379000/379338.stm#top  
  
As for ceramic armour plates, well if you've never heard of using plates in pockets stitched to kevlar vests; uh well then there's really not much I can say. Except that well...its been used in favor of metal plates because it's lighter and can take more punishment, however since it is brittle (i.e. you can't drop it, but it can stop .50 rounds, weird huh?). It isn't used for general purpose military units. However with new reinforced ceramic armour plates and a decrease in expense in their production the worlds armed forces will be wearing ceramic armour in the future ("this ain't your momma's best china anymore!").  
  
Muscle bundles-  
  
Gelatinous bundles which when exposed to current contract (just like muscles do). Arranged around the armour like muscles on a human are and use true haptic controls (more later). Doesn't increase strength, the suit has its own limit so it doesn't multiply the user's strength rather it augments the users strength. (max lift: 230 kg (500lbs), max one leg kick: 170 kg (375lbs), max running speed 14 m/s (50.4 km/h), acceleration: .5m/s^2.  
  
Nasa has been working on artificial muscles for an extended period of time, Time magazine (online) covers their use  
(source Time Magazine MARCH 22, 1999 VOL. 153 NO. 11)  
the web address:  
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101990322-21477,00.html  
  
  
Haptic controls-  
hap·tic (hptk)  
adj.   
Of or relating to the sense of touch; tactile.  
  
[Greek haptikos, from haptesthai, to grasp, touch.]  
  
Basically haptic controls are controls that follow the motion of the user, currently the most prevalent control system is an external body harness that is strapped to the controller. Very ineffective in a combat situation as, a well placed shot can snap a support strut on the control 'limbs' and cripple the user's armour.   
  
However, there is an existing alternative. Currently there are sensors that are implantable into muscle tissue. The sensors are about the size and shape of a capsule bigger than 500mg (maybe even 1g). There is this guy in the US who has a controller in his arm and is using it as a replacement for his mouse (just move the arm and point and the cursor moves). As for the use of these in flesh sensors being used for the control for the armour its mostly an idea I had by combining the two. The sensors transmit the motion of the limb and send said data wirelessly, and since the suit needs data on the motion the limb is making they the two seem suited for each other  
  
If anyone who reads Popular Mechanics magazine and recalls this please tell me sincei lost a lot of my mags to a leaky pipe (its hars to read solid blocks of waterlogged magazine believe you me).  
  
BC suit - Biological Chemical defense.   
  
Thermal regulation suit; capillaries full of coolant (the US used them during the Gulf war to combat chem WMDs (weapons of mass destruction)) and/or a heat suit (essentially an electric blanket shaped like clothing)  
  
Air tank - suck in air, filter the oxygen out, compress it and store in a container; presto constant supply of oxygen. Just make sure the tank doesn't take a bullet, pure oxygen tends to be explosive if lit. Air tank is removable from harness for multiple reasons/purposes including: O2 (explosive) + MATCH (catalyst) = booom, air tank for personnel other than the EXAS (VIPs don't always carry gas masks), replacing a damaged or empty tank with a full one (more practical for you blowhards).  
  
The O2 held in the tank is used for the rebreathing system on the back harness, or the flame thrower unit. Total amount of breathing time with a full tank of O2, 20 min (with rebreather system on). Flamer; range 10 m, max spread of fuel stream 1/2 m, max time at max output 5 s (yes 5 only seconds, it's a small tank sheesh)  
  
*Miscellaneous Equipment/Technology *  
  
Ear piece-  
  
Audio link from MOSAIC system to EXAS unit, also used as a sound filter, sound amplifier and includes and auto sound-damper to keep the EXAS from going deaf in firefight (or a flash bang).   
Since the EP is an audio link to the MOSAIC it is used as a translator (hey Eagle doesn't Japanese, realistic SI remember).  
  
Appearance: slightly flexible yellow plug, looks a bit like a fish (Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy anyone? : ) ), uses a direct wire connection leading to back harness or can use a wireless connection (nearly never uses the wireless; to slow, EMP liability).  
  
All EXAS wear one ear piece in each ear, only one is needed for an audio feed, however both are used to increase the number of redundant systems and also both ears need the protection provided by the auto sound-dampers.  
  
Eye Screens-   
Over-the-eye mini screens designed to feed visual data taken from the suits cameras to the EXAS.   
Visual options include:   
-infrared (thermal)   
-UV (green and black visual)   
-visible light, maps   
Screen modifications:  
-directional arrows on the screen to navigate the EXAS  
-auto-target possible targets (red squares boxing around each target)  
-text overlay (the system check in chapter one for example)  
-map, navigational points (N, S, E, W) overlay  
-focus 'lines' (lines pointing at specific objects that the mosaic considers important to look at, if you ever played System Shock with 'auto-help' 'on' you know what I mean, green lines pointing at objects you can pick up or switches you can throw or enemies to target)  
  
A prof at U of Toronto has been working on a wearable computer since the 60's (and it was huge and slow and people crossed the street jst so they wouldn''t have to walk past him too!).   
  
If you look at the Summer of 2001 issue of Azure (Design (NOT fashion) Mag) you can see the newest stuff this guy is working on; computers integrated into the clothes we wear.   
  
Back on track, the standby of his own personal computer is a pair of shades which while looking like the shades that fit over prescription glasses are also a computer screen, the cursor is controlled by eye movement (needs a mini-cam to track the user's eye just so you know). This guy's work is pivotal part of the designs I've made for EXAS (the wearable computer part, the eye screens, onboard sensors and other things).  
  
Speakers-  
Twin thin tweeter speakers located on the cheeks on the head armour, one on the chest and a subwoofer on the back harness.  
Used as the "translator's" voice or as a general psychological warfare equipment. If I can make a voice like a demon for a short period of time (it wrecks my voice if I do it for more than a few seconds though) why can't this speaker system change your voice modulation for extended periods of time.  
  
Throat mike-  
Surgically implanted mini-microphone. Used for sub-vocal speech with the MOSAIC. Powered with a lithium battery (life span 6 months). Very short range (50 m outside, 20 inside) unless linked to a back harness (unlimited range, uses E-sat for telecom). For all intents and purposes an EXAS with out a working back harness and out of sight of his MOSAIC is screwed for data feeds and intel.  
  
Also the throat mike is used by the translator program when the EXAS cannot speak the necessary language (the EXAS can't speak the native language). This is something that is not desired, since the EXAS will end up looking like an ugly American (regardless of the EXAS's nationality, the term is a general term to all heavy-handed 'advisors' who don't bother to learn the local customs, protocols, languages etc.).  
  
  
Muscle Augmentation, Limb Replacment  
"How to Build a Body Part"  
(Time) MARCH 1, 1999 VOL. 153 NO. 8  
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101990301-20592,00.html  
  
Also for all you bio junkies, stem cells, stem cells, stem cells. These things can be used to replace almost any type of body tissue, I'm gonna use tons of it in SOH. That means trauma, Eagle is gonna lose limbs and organs like crazy, besides its EXAS' motto "the mission or nothing" so if a lung can be replaced why not take the pain and do the job.  
  
And that is the end of the new or unfamiliar technology that I've put in my fic.  
  
*Final Word*  
My original idea was simply cyber limbs but since they won't be remotely feasible till 2030-2050 so I won't use them in the fic, that and it's much easier to replace organics with grown limbs instead of metal thanks to stem cell research.  
  
For anyone else who has ideas to add to my fic just mail me and tell where I could get the article, I would be grateful to anyone who wants to add to this fic.  
  
Also the general Idea of exo combat armour is being developed by DARPA (go to www.darps.mil for more) for the US army. So even the exo armour isn't farfetched.  



End file.
